THE All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), in partnership with the African Union Commission, has debuted four new award categories for this year's event, which is the 5th edition.

The move is to enjoin inclusiveness and expand the playing field in the awarding process for African music and creative professionals who have begun to send in their entries for the 5th AFRIMA on the online submission portal that opened on Friday, May 25, to commemorate the 2018 Africa Union Day.

The newly introduced award categories are African DJ of the Year, Best African Dance/Choreography, African Lyricist/Rapper of the Year and Best African Act in Diaspora (Female & Male).

According to the organisers, the categories were carefully arrived at after extensive consultations with African music stakeholders including the AFRIMA Academy of Voters and members of the International Committee of AFRIMA in response to the yearnings and requests of stakeholders, DJ’s, dancers and artistes in the diaspora.

Commenting on the development, the Jury Member representing Africa music in the Diaspora (North America), Hadja Kobélé Keita said: “AFRIMA have given African artistes, for the past few years, an opportunity to capture the attention of an extension and comparatively distinct swathe of the public, while emphasising on the unique importance of our diverse African musical culture.

"The addition of the Diaspora category is a direct emphasis on the critical role Africans in diaspora have as the ambassador of our culture on a global scale”.

The main awards ceremony is slated for November 2018 and it will be broadcast live to 84 countries around the globe.