By Rita Okoye
In what has become one of the most anticipated events in Africa鈥檚 digital calendar, Trendupp Africa, organisers of the continent鈥檚 pioneering awards platform for influencers and content creators, have officially announced the nominees for the fifth edition of the Trendupp Awards.
Now recognised as a Pan-African platform, the Trendupp Awards celebrate and honour influencers, content creators, and brands whose bold, consistent, and creative use of social media continues to shape culture and spark conversations across the continent.
This year鈥檚 edition, themed 鈥淪till Explosive,鈥 will recognise 17 outstanding winners chosen from a pool of 104 exceptional nominees across various platforms and niches, including VeeKee James, Folagade Banks, Aproko Doctor, Peller, and Liquorose, among others.
Commenting on the quality of this year鈥檚 shortlist, Sam Onyemelukwe, a member of the 2025 Judging Council and Senior Vice President of Global Business Development at TRACE, stated, 鈥淭he quality of nominees this year is truly remarkable. Every creator and brand on the list embodies the key pillars of influence we aim to celebrate: creativity, consistency, and engagement. As a juror, I鈥檝e witnessed firsthand the passion and originality these nominees bring to their work. While only one winner will be named in each category, being nominated already signifies that your voice matters, your work is valued, and your impact is real.鈥
This year, the Trendupp Awards received over 340,000 public nominations across 17 award categories. Following the nomination phase, six finalists were shortlisted in each category, except for the Emerging Force category, which features eight nominees and serves as the only category open to public voting.