The Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) has announced the Lagos Diaspora Experience 2025, a week-long celebration of African art, culture, innovation, and connection, culminating in the End of the Year Awards & Celebration on Sunday, December 21st, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria.
This historic occasion marks the first time the world-famous Most Influential 100 Recognition & Awards Ceremony, traditionally held in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), will be hosted in Lagos, Nigeria.
The week will feature events such as Diaspora Day at the Fela Exhibition (Afrobeat Meets Diaspora), Cultural Heritage Day, and Business Leadership Luncheons, all culminating in the awards celebration.
The evening will honor the Best & Brightest of the Year, recognizing exceptional individuals and institutions whose work has advanced Global African Achievement and Black Excellence across business, government, media, culture, and technology.
Key Recognitions for 2025
- Governor of the Year & City of the Year: Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, honored alongside Lagos as City of the Year for its global leadership in culture, innovation, tourism, and diaspora engagement.
- Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, will be honoured as Minister of the Year for her contribution to the creative economy’s role in nation branding and cultural diplomacy.
- Most Influential Woman of the Year: Olorì Atúwàtse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom
- Most Influential Man of the Year: Adewale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, OANDO
- CEO of the Year: Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria; who will deliver a keynote address, recognized for his transformative leadership and impact on Nigeria’s telecommunications and digital economy.
Others include; Karl Toriola of MTN as CEO of the year, Uche Pedro of Bella Naija as Lifestyle Personality Of The Year, Ojy Okpe of Artise News as Most Influential News Anchor Of The Year, Stephanie Busari as Media Executive of the Year, Kayode Okikiolu as Pressman of the year, Davido as Artist of the year and several others.
In celebrating this year’s honorees, Michael Ehindero, managing director, Pernod Ricard Nigeria, owners of Martell Cognac, who emerged as Brand Of The Year expressed deep appreciation for the brand’s continued global recognition, saying:
“It’s a great reward for the team who’s delivered Martell excellently in Nigeria over the years. We say thank you to the teams, we say thank you to our consumers and we say thank you to MIPAD. Martell has a lot of promising experiences in the years to come in Nigeria and with this we invite you over to Nigeria to experience Detty December”.
The ceremony will also celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2025 Honorees, alongside past Nigerian honorees who were unable to attend their year of recognition in New York.
“For the first time, we’re bringing our world-famous recognition platform home to celebrate excellence within the Global Africa Family, right here in Lagos,” said Kamil Olufowobi, founder & chairman of MIPAD. “This is more than an event; it’s a movement uniting the best of us, connecting, collaborating, and working together to change the world.”
Event Details
Lagos, Nigeria: Friday, Dec 19 – #DettyDec Diaspora Day at Fela Exhibition FREE
Sunday, Dec 21 – End of Year Recognition & Award Ceremony STRICTLY BY INVITATION
The Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) is a global civil society initiative in support of the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent (2015–2034). MIPAD identifies and celebrates high achievers of African descent worldwide, fostering global recognition, connection, and collaboration.
