Mygration Annual Awards
Celebrating African Excellence in the Diaspora
The Mygration Awards are a flagship initiative of Mygration Magazine, created to honour the remarkable contributions of African migrants who are shaping lives, communities, and narratives around the world. These annual awards celebrate individuals whose work reflects the spirit of resilience, leadership, creativity, and social impact, across generations and sectors.
Whether through grassroots activism, artistic innovation, academic leadership, or visionary entrepreneurship, African migrants continue to challenge stereotypes and redefine success—and the Mygration Awards were created to celebrate just that.
Award Categories
Each year, we recognise exceptional individuals and organisations in the following categories:
Lifetime Achievement Award
This award honours a distinguished African migrant whose long-term contributions have had a sustained and transformative impact in their field or community. The recipient exemplifies legacy, leadership, and a deep commitment to justice and excellence.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must have a minimum of 20 years of impactful work experience in the diaspora. Eligible fields of contribution may include academia, public service, human rights, cultural preservation, diplomacy, and other areas of significant societal impact.
Youth Changemaker Award
This award recognises a young African migrant, between the ages of 18 and 35, who is making extraordinary strides in innovation, entrepreneurship, or creative expression. It celebrates individuals who demonstrate courage, vision, and exceptional potential to drive positive change.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must be self-identified youth leaders with a migrant background. Eligible fields of impact may include technology, education, climate action, social media influence, the arts, and other areas where young leaders are driving meaningful change.
Community Development Award
This award is presented to an individual or group that is driving meaningful and inclusive change at the grassroots level. It recognises efforts that empower African migrant communities through advocacy, social enterprise, education, or community service.
Eligibility and Criteria:
Applicants may be individuals or registered organisations, whether formal or informal. To be considered, they must demonstrate proven impact and active engagement with migrant or diaspora communities.
Cultural Preservation Award
This award honours African migrants who are preserving, promoting, and transforming African cultural heritage in the diaspora. It recognises individuals or collectives who use language, music, food, fashion, oral history, or traditional knowledge to sustain and evolve African identities abroad. From griots and culinary artists to cultural educators, the award celebrates efforts that keep African culture alive and thriving across generations and geographies.
Eligibility Criteria:
Eligible candidates include African migrants or diaspora-based organisations. Applicants must demonstrate a clear impact in the areas of cultural education, revitalisation, or documentation. Their work should reflect authenticity, active community engagement, and creativity in preserving and promoting African cultural heritage.
Diaspora Education Award
This award recognises exceptional educators who are shaping the minds and futures of African migrant or diaspora communities. It celebrates teachers, academics, mentors, and educational advocates who go beyond the classroom to create inclusive and empowering learning environments. Whether working in formal education systems or through grassroots training initiatives, these individuals are transforming lives through the power of knowledge.
Eligibility Criteria:
Eligible applicants are African migrant educators, including schoolteachers, university staff, adult education facilitators, and others involved in teaching and learning. Candidates must demonstrate a positive impact on migrant or diaspora learners. Preference will be given to those who employ innovative teaching practices or engage in education policy and advocacy.
Media & Narrative Impact Award
This award recognises journalists, content creators, filmmakers, and writers who challenge harmful stereotypes and reshape public discourse on African migration. It honours storytelling that centres on dignity, complexity, and nuance. Eligible work includes investigative journalism, podcasts, social media activism, films, photojournalism, and publishing projects that focus on the African migrant experience.
Eligibility Criteria:
Eligible applicants include African migrant media practitioners or media organisations. Their work must reach public audiences and demonstrate ethical storytelling practices. Both individual creators and collaborative teams are welcome to apply.
Health & Wellbeing Advocate Award
This award celebrates individuals who support the physical, mental, or emotional wellbeing of African migrants and diaspora communities. It recognises a wide range of advocates, including mental health counsellors, traditional healers, public health workers, doulas, and community care organisers. The award honours those who work behind the scenes to ensure that Africans living abroad are not only surviving but thriving.
Eligibility Criteria:
Eligible applicants include African migrants or diaspora-based practitioners. Their work may be professional or voluntary, but it must demonstrate a measurable impact on the wellbeing of their community.
Economic Empowerment Award
This award is presented to African migrants who create sustainable opportunities for others through entrepreneurship, financial education, cooperative models, or social enterprises. It recognises visionaries who not only achieve success in business but also build pathways to collective economic freedom, particularly for marginalised migrant communities.
Eligibility Criteria:
Eligible candidates include African migrant entrepreneurs, innovators, or small business owners. Their initiatives should focus on creating jobs, providing mentorship, or promoting financial inclusion. Preference will be given to those with impact-driven or socially conscious business models.
Border Breaker Award-Special Jury Prize
This special recognition is awarded to an individual or group whose work transcends geographic, legal, social, or creative boundaries to achieve extraordinary impact. Selected by the jury, this prize honours boldness, courage, and boundary-breaking innovation across any field. It is awarded at the discretion of the editorial team and judging panel.
Eligibility Criteria:
Eligible candidates include African migrants or diaspora-led initiatives that demonstrate courage, risk-taking, or a commitment to disrupting injustice. This award may be given posthumously or to unsung heroes whose impactful work has gone largely unrecognised.
Nomination Information
We invite community members, colleagues, institutions, and individuals to nominate outstanding African migrants or migrant-led initiatives.
Who Can Nominate?
Nominations are open to any individual, including self-nominations. Additionally, NGOs, academic institutions, and cultural organisations are eligible to submit nominations. Previous awardees and members of the editorial team may also nominate candidates, except in the category they are responsible for judging.
Nomination Criteria
Nomination Criteria:
To be eligible for nomination, candidates must identify as African and have a lived experience as a migrant or member of the diaspora. Nominees should demonstrate measurable impact that aligns with one of the specific award categories. Their work must strongly reflect the core values of Mygration Magazine, which include inclusion, dignity, and narrative justice. Additionally, nominees must have made public or verifiable contributions within the past five years, except in the case of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mygration Awards Ceremony
The Mygration Awards are celebrated annually through a hybrid ceremony that brings together
nominees, partners, creatives, and community leaders from across the globe.
Next Event: 10 December 2025
What to Expect:
The event will feature keynote addresses delivered by prominent African thought leaders and creatives, providing inspiring insights and perspectives. Storytelling segments will spotlight the achievements of award winners, sharing their powerful journeys and contributions. Attendees can enjoy live performances, art showcases, and engaging cross-cultural dialogues that celebrate diverse expressions of African heritage. The event also offers valuable opportunities for networking with diaspora changemakers and organisations committed to positive impact. A highlight of the occasion will be the launch of the special Mygration Hall of Honour exhibit, celebrating outstanding contributions within the African diaspora community.
Partnership & Sponsorship Opportunities
Join us in celebrating African excellence. The Mygration Awards offer high-visibility opportunities for:
There are numerous partnership and sponsorship opportunities available for a variety of organisations. Cultural institutions can collaborate to support and celebrate African heritage and creativity. Universities and think tanks are invited to contribute through research, knowledge exchange, and educational initiatives. Diaspora organisations can partner to strengthen community engagement and outreach. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs offer a valuable avenue for businesses to invest in social impact and community development. Additionally, philanthropic foundations and embassies are welcome to provide support, helping to amplify the reach and impact of the event.
Partnership Benefits:
Partners will receive co-branding opportunities and prominent recognition during the Awards Ceremony.
Gain access to exclusive roundtable discussions and high-level networking events.
Enhanced visibility across Mygration platforms and inclusion in media coverage.
Access to detailed impact reports and audience engagement metrics.
Stay Connected
Sign up to get alerts for nomination deadlines, event registration, and partnership news.
Mygration Awards Nomination Form
Nominate a Trailblazer. Celebrate Diaspora Excellence.
Use this form to nominate an individual, group, or organization for a Mygration Award. You may submit a nomination on behalf of someone else or nominate yourself. All information shared will be treated with respect and kept confidential.