Joyce Onwuka
The All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) and the Lesotho Music Awards (LMA) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a three-year strategic partnership aimed at strengthening Lesotho’s music industry while creating new opportunities for Basotho artists to engage with the broader African creative ecosystem.
Through this collaboration, AFRIMA, the biggest music awards platform on the continent, has officially recognised the Lesotho Music Awards as AFRIMA’s collaborating country partner and regional liaison in the Kingdom of Lesotho, marking a significant milestone in the country’s creative and cultural development.
The partnership will focus on promoting African music and cultural exchange through artist development, talent discovery, institutional collaboration, knowledge sharing, industry networking, advocacy, and the facilitation of stronger relationships between government, private sector stakeholders, media organisations, and the music industry. As part of the agreement, the Lesotho Music Awards will promote AFRIMA initiatives, facilitate industry engagement within Lesotho, encourage greater participation by Basotho artists in AFRIMA programmes, and coordinate AFRIMA-related activities in the country. AFRIMA, in turn, will support LMA through official recognition, promotional resources, collaborative programmes, and ongoing institutional engagement.
A key feature of the Memorandum of Understanding is the introduction of a collaborative framework for selected Lesotho Music Awards categories supported by AFRIMA. Under this arrangement, AFRIMA will participate in mutually agreed adjudication and verification processes to further strengthen fairness, transparency, accountability, integrity, and international credibility, while fully respecting the independence of all other LMA award categories.
Speaking on the partnership, Malibe Mahao, Founder and Executive Director of the Lesotho Music Awards, said:
“This partnership represents a defining moment for the music industry in Lesotho. Working alongside AFRIMA allows us to connect Basotho artists with one of Africa’s most respected music institutions while strengthening our own commitment to developing a sustainable and internationally competitive creative industry. Together, we are creating new pathways for talent, investment, collaboration, and continental recognition.”
Adenrele Niyi, Chief Experience Officer of AFRIMA, added: “At AFRIMA, our vision, driven by our seven core pillars—Music Awards, Music Festivals, The AFRIMA Kreative Academy (TAKA), Music Business Hub, Talent Discovery and Promotion, Advisory and Policy Debates, and CSR & Advocacy—has always gone beyond an awards ceremony. We are building Africa’s leading music ecosystem that discovers talent, creates opportunities, connects cultures and takes African music to the world. This partnership with the Lesotho Music Awards is another significant step towards deepening continental collaboration and expanding opportunities for African creatives.
“We are delighted to welcome the Lesotho Music Awards into the AFRIMA family as our collaborating country partner in Lesotho. Together, we are not only celebrating music; we are building bridges, creating prosperity, promoting African unity through culture, and ensuring that the next generation of African music stars has the platform they deserve.”
Founded in 2014 by the International Committee of AFRIMA in partnership with the African Union, AFRIMA has grown into Africa’s longest-running global music awards platform. Broadcast live to millions of viewers through more than 84 television stations worldwide, AFRIMA has become the continent’s foremost platform for celebrating and rewarding African musical excellence while promoting Africa’s rich cultural heritage to the world. Previous editions have been successfully hosted in major African cities including Lagos, Nigeria; Accra, Ghana; and Dakar, Senegal.
Established in 2021, the Lesotho Music Awards is the country’s premier awards platform dedicated to celebrating excellence in the Basotho music industry by recognising and honouring outstanding talents. The LMAs serve as a platform to uplift and promote musicians, producers, and industry professionals who contribute to the country’s vibrant music scene, while fostering growth, recognition, and international opportunities for Basotho artists.
The partnership reflects both organisations’ shared vision of building a stronger African music ecosystem through collaboration, innovation, and cultural exchange. It also reinforces Lesotho’s growing presence within the continental creative economy and opens new opportunities for artists, producers, executives, media professionals, and creative entrepreneurs.
AFRIMA and the Lesotho Music Awards look forward to announcing collaborative programmes, artist initiatives, industry engagements, and other partnership activities in the coming months.