Nigerian music stars Shallipopi and Davido delivered electrifying performances on the opening night of the 2025 Afro Nation festival, setting the stage for what promises to be a memorable celebration of African music and culture.
The highly anticipated annual event, which began in 2019, officially kicked off its 2025 edition on Wednesday night in Portimão, Portugal. The three-day festival continues to be a major platform for showcasing Africa’s rich musical diversity.
Shallipopi made a major impact with a standout performance of his hit track ‘Lahoo’, surprising the crowd by bringing his siblings and several fellow artistes on stage. The move drew massive applause and created one of the most talked-about moments of the night.
Davido, a longtime favorite at Afro Nation, delivered a powerful set featuring some of his biggest hits. He thrilled the audience with crowd-pleasers like ‘If’, ‘Fall’, ‘Dami Duro’, and ‘Fia’, bringing his signature energy and charisma to the stage.
The festival continues on Thursday with Nigerian songstress Tems scheduled to perform, while Friday’s grand finale will feature Burna Boy, South African dancer and amapiano star Kamo Mphela, French rapper Booba, and Jamaican dancehall artist Dexta Daps.
Sharing highlights from the night on its official page, Afro Nation praised the performers for their energy and stage presence.
“ANP2025? OBO OUR HEADLINER!! @davido closed our day one of #ANP2025 with the biggest and BADDEST energy 001 would bring!” the post read.
The platform also applauded Shallipopi’s performance, writing, “MONUMENTAL! @theycallmeshallipopi came to SCATTER the Portimao at #ANP2025!”
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