The MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs) are a pan-African music awards ceremony established by MTV Africa in 2008 to celebrate the most popular contemporary music across the continent. The awards have been inactive since the last edition in October 2016, with a planned 2021 edition in Kampala indefinitely postponed.
At the sixth and final edition on October 22, 2016, Wizkid delivered an eight-minute performance at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg. Backed by a brass band and the Soweto Gospel Choir, he performed "Ojuelegba" and was later joined by DJ Maphorisa and DJ Buckz for "Soweto Baby." Wizkid won three awards that night: Artist of the Year, Best Male, and Best Collaboration. The ceremony was broadcast to approximately 30 million viewers worldwide across MTV Base, MTV, and BET.
Past Winners by Category and Year
The MTV Africa Music Awards ran for six editions between 2008 and 2016. Below is a reference table of winners from the last three editions (2014, 2015, and 2016). A planned 2021 edition in Kampala was indefinitely postponed, and no new edition has been announced as of 2026.
| Year | Artist of the Year | Best Male | Best Female | Best Group | Song of the Year | Host City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Wizkid (Nigeria) | Wizkid (Nigeria) | Yemi Alade (Nigeria) | Sauti Sol (Kenya) | "My Woman, My Everything" (Patoranking feat. Wande Coal) | Johannesburg |
| 2015 | Davido (Nigeria) | Davido (Nigeria) | Yemi Alade (Nigeria) | P-Square (Nigeria) | "Dorobucci" (Mavins) | Durban |
| 2014 | Davido (Nigeria) | Davido (Nigeria) | Tiwa Savage (Nigeria) | Mafikizolo (South Africa) | "Khona" (Mafikizolo feat. Uhuru) | Durban |
Additional category winners from the 2016 ceremony include Tekno (Best Breakthrough, Nigeria), Emtee (Best Hip Hop, South Africa), Cassper Nyovest (Best Live Act, South Africa), Shekhinah and Kyle Deutsch (Best Pop/Alternative, South Africa), Jah Prayzah (Listener's Choice, Zimbabwe), and Drake (Best International Act, Canada). Hugh Masekela received the Legend Award. The Africa Reimagined Award went to youth activists Vivian Onano and Mary Taedzerwa.
The 2015 ceremony marked the tenth anniversary of Viacom International Media Networks Africa. P-Square received the Artist of the Decade award. D'Banj won the MAMA Evolution Award. Trevor Noah won Personality of the Year, months before he was named host of The Daily Show. Nicki Minaj won Best International Act.
The 2014 ceremony was hosted by American comedian Marlon Wayans at the Durban International Convention Centre. Davido won both Artist of the Year and Best Male. Tiwa Savage won Best Female. Lupita Nyong'o won Personality of the Year, with a clip of her acceptance speech aired during the ceremony. Pharrell Williams won Best International Act. The event featured performances from Miguel, French Montana, Trey Songz, Flavour, Tiwa Savage, Davido, and Mafikizolo.
Yemi Alade, who won Best Female at both the 2015 and 2016 ceremonies, also co-hosted the 2016 edition alongside Bonang Matheba and Nomzamo Mbatha. During the 2016 show, she performed "Koffi Anan" and delivered an acoustic performance of "Africa" with Kenyan group Sauti Sol.
American rapper Future was the headline international performer at the 2016 ceremony, performing "Wicked," "Lowlife," and "Commas." South African rapper Nasty C opened the show and was later brought back on stage by Future, drawing praise from the audience. Patoranking also performed "My Woman, My Everything" and was joined by Ghana's Sarkodie for "No Kissing Baby."
How the MTV Africa Music Awards Work
The MAMAs were created and executive produced by Alex Okosi and Jandre Louw for the first three editions. MTV Africa, under Viacom International Media Networks Africa, organized the ceremony to recognize African artists, achievers, and personalities who made an impact on African music and youth culture.
The awards rotate host cities across Africa. The first edition was held in Abuja, Nigeria in 2008, followed by Nairobi, Kenya in 2009, and Lagos, Nigeria in 2010. After a three-year hiatus (2011 to 2013), the awards returned to Durban, South Africa in 2014 and 2015, then moved to Johannesburg in 2016.
Nominees are selected based on chart performance, streaming data, video airplay on MTV channels, and cultural impact. The nomination process includes regional "Road to MAMA" events in cities like Durban and Lagos, where nominees are announced in batches. For the 2016 edition, the first round of nominees was revealed in Johannesburg, with additional categories announced at a Lagos event.
Voting is open to the public through the MTV Base website and Google search voting. Each Google account is allowed a limited number of votes per category per day. The 2016 ceremony was broadcast live on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and MTV (DStv Channel 130), and transmitted worldwide on partner stations.
The 2016 edition featured 18 award categories, including Best Male, Best Female, Best Song, Best Collaboration, Best Group, Best International Act, Best Breakthrough, Best Francophone, Best Lusophone, Listener's Choice, Song of the Year, Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Personality of the Year, and the Africa Re-Imagined Award.
Real-World Example: MAMA 2016 (Last Edition)
The sixth and final edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards was held on October 22, 2016, at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg, South Africa. The ceremony was hosted by Nomzamo Mbatha, Yemi Alade, and Bonang Matheba, with Trevor Noah originally announced as host.
Wizkid led nominations with three nods (Best Male, Best Collaboration, and Personality of the Year) and won Artist of the Year. Cassper Nyovest and Sauti Sol also received multiple nominations. The ceremony featured performances from Future, Yemi Alade, Nasty C, Babes Wodumo, Cassper Nyovest, Patoranking, Alikiba, and Ycee.
The event was sponsored by Joburg Tourism in partnership with Absolut, Google, MTN, and DStv. Over 15,000 fans attended the Ticketpro Dome. The ceremony celebrated African talent across 18 categories, including recognition for Portuguese-speaking (Best Lusophone) and French-speaking (Best Francophone) African artists.
A 2021 edition was planned for Kampala, Uganda, but was indefinitely postponed. As of 2026, no new edition has been announced, and the awards remain inactive.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
When active, the MAMAs were the only pan-African music awards with global broadcast reach through MTV's international network. Winning or being nominated meant exposure to audiences across Africa, Europe, and the Americas. For independent African artists, the MAMAs provided a platform that continental radio and local awards could not match.
The Best Breakthrough and Listener's Choice categories were specifically designed to surface new talent. The Best Francophone and Best Lusophone categories ensured that artists from French and Portuguese-speaking African countries were recognized, not just English-speaking markets.
The awards' current inactive status means independent African artists should focus on alternative platforms. The Metro FM Music Awards and MOBO Awards both have Best African Act categories that provide continental and international exposure. The MTV EMAs also include a Best Afrobeats category.
If you are an independent African artist, build your streaming numbers and video airplay to position yourself for these alternative awards. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to track your performance across platforms. Monitor the MTV Base website for any announcements about a potential MAMA revival.
Related Resources
- Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming performance for awards eligibility
- Metro FM Music Awards - South Africa's premier music awards with African genre categories
- MOBO Awards - UK awards with a Best African Act category
- MTV European Music Awards - Sister MTV ceremony with a Best Afrobeats category
- MTV Video Music Awards - MTV's flagship US awards ceremony
- AFRIMA - All Africa Music Awards, a currently active pan-African alternative
- South African Music Awards - South Africa's national music awards
- The Headies - Nigeria's premier music awards ceremony
- 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Build revenue alongside awards strategy
