Nigerian Students, Youths Dominate 2025 TikTok Awards

Nigerian creators emerged as the standout winners at the 2025 TikTok Awards Sub-Saharan Africa, showcasing the country’s vibrant youth creativity and digital influence across the continent. The event, held on December 6 under the theme “New Era, New Icons,” celebrated Africa’s top creators who are reshaping culture, conversation, and content creation.

A statement shared with Briefing Brew that Nigerian talents dominated multiple award categories, reflecting the growing impact of the country’s young content creators in the digital space.

The ceremony, hosted by popular entertainer Bontle Modiselle-Moloi, featured high-energy performances from Ciza, Lord Kez, Thuli P, DJ Fif_Laa, and Thabsie. Red carpet highlights included appearances by Keegan Gordon and Zayaan Noorani, while South Africa’s Mihlali Ndamase and Olympian Akani Simbine presented awards to winners.

TikTok’s Head of Content Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa, Boniswa Sidwaba, described the evening as a celebration of Africa’s trailblazers. “From Sokoto to Nairobi, and Accra to Pretoria, we honoured the creators who turned 60-second clips into cultural movements. We are proud to celebrate them as they amplify their voices and take their stories from Africa to the world,” she said.

Among the Nigerian winners, Dejoke Ogunbiyi, known on TikTok as @noositiwantiwa_, was named Social Impact Creator of the Year. From Ibadan, she uses the platform to tackle social issues and mobilize communities for positive change.

Raja’atu Muhammed Ibrahim, @diaryofanortherncook, won Creator of the Year for her cinematic documentation of Northern Nigerian cuisine. Based in Sokoto, she was celebrated for combining rich visual storytelling with authentic northern music.

Brian Nwana, @briannwana, emerged as Storyteller of the Year. The Abuja-based creator blends food, interviews, and human-centered storytelling, earning recognition for his Guinness World Record for visiting the most fast-food restaurants in 24 hours. “Every single creator is a storyteller. We all tell stories that help drive our communities, our cities, and our countries, and when we do that, we change the world’s perception of us,” he said.

Belove Olocha, @beloveolocha, won Entertainment Creator of the Year for her engaging movie-focused content that entertains and connects communities. Izzi Boye, @izziboye, was named Education Creator of the Year for simplifying technology, gadgets, and digital hacks for audiences across Africa.

Crown Uzama, also known as Shallipopi, won Artist of the Year with his hit “Plutomania,” which has dominated the continent’s music scene. “Thank you, TikTok, for supporting all upcoming artists and giving them a spotlight to shine,” he said.

Other Nigerian creators were also recognised in runner-up positions, including Esther Francis (@estherfrancisbackup) as Rising Star of the Year and Victor Ademola (@ademolavictortv) as Sports Creator of the Year, showcasing Nigeria’s depth of young talent in diverse content categories.

The TikTok Awards highlighted the platform’s role in shaping digital culture, inspiring communities, and empowering young Africans to create content that matters. The full ceremony is scheduled to be rebroadcast on TikTok LIVE on December 11 at 20:00 SAST on the @tiktok.africa account.