Afrobeats star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has won the Album of the Year award at the 2026 African Muzik Magazine Awards, AFRIMMA, for his acclaimed project, ‘5IVE’.
The award recognises the Nigerian singer’s project as the best album in a competitive category featuring some of Africa’s leading music acts and further highlights his strong showing at this year’s ceremony.
The announcement was made on Tuesday through AFRIMMA’s official Instagram page, following the awards and music festival held on September 12 at Annette Strauss Square in Dallas, Texas.
Davido had entered the ceremony as the most nominated artiste of the year, securing five nominations across major categories.
His 5IVE album emerged ahead of other nominated projects, including Black Sherif’s ‘Top of The Morning Era’, Omah Lay’s ‘Clarity of Mind’, Asake’s ‘M$NEY’, Tyla’s ‘A-Pop’ and Burna Boy’s ‘No Sign of Weakness’.
Other contenders for the Album of the Year prize were Lloyiso with ‘Never Thought I Could’, Leigh-Anne with ‘My Ego Told Me To’ and Himra with ‘SORRY I’M BAD’.
The Album of the Year victory adds to Davido’s recognition at an awards ceremony that brought together music talents from Africa and the diaspora. His project was selected from a field representing different sounds and markets, with nominees from West Africa, South Africa, and the United Kingdom featuring prominently in the major categories.
Beyond his winning album, Davido received four other nominations at the 2026 AFRIMMA, including Artist of the Year, Best Male West Africa, and the Crossing Boundaries With Music Award.
His multiple nominations placed him among the most recognised artistes at this year’s edition of the awards.
The 2026 AFRIMMA nominations reflected what organisers described as a strong year for African music, with artistes from across the continent and the diaspora represented in key categories. The presence of West African, South African and UK-based performers underscored the broad reach of African music and its growing representation across international audiences.
The awards and music festival took place at Annette Strauss Square in Dallas, Texas, on September 12, bringing together nominees and celebrating music from across Africa and its global diaspora.
