The Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) has announced that 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.
Among those to be honoured are: the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu as Governor of the Year; the City of Lagos as City of the Year; and the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola as the CEO of the Year.
Toriola will also deliver the keynote address at the event.
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.
Apart from Sanwo-Olu, Lagos and Toriola, other awardees are: Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Minister of the Year; Olorì Atúwàtse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom, Most Influential Woman of the Year; Adewale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, OANDO, Most Influential Man of the Year; Uche Pedro of Bella Naija, Lifestyle Personality Of The Year; Ojy Okpe of Arise News, Most Influential News Anchor Of The Year; Stephanie Busari, Media Executive of the Year; Kayode Okikiolu, Pressman of the Year; and Davido, Artist of the Year among 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.”
About MIPAD
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.
