The 2021 MTV Africa Music Awards ceremony was postponed, to be held in Kampala, Uganda. The award ceremony, will also be aired live on MTV Base, and MTV will air the event globally, in 180 countries, for the first time, according to Paul Grein of Billboard.[1] The show will be hosted virtually by DJ Khaled in the City of Miami.[1] Its fifth ceremony will be featuring performances from various African celebrities; Wizkid, Sheebah Karungi, Diamond Platnumz, Khaligraph Jones, Nasty C, Suspect 95, Soraia Ramos, and Calema, among others.[2] The repeat show will also be aired on BET Africa, BET International, and MTV channels.[3]
It brings back the Listener's Choice category, with top 20 "Listener's Choice" finalists.[4] The ceremony sponsor is Uganda, The Pearl of Africa.[5] On 4 February 2021, the organizers of the MAMA's Awards, announced the postponement of the award in a statement via E-mail with The Punch, it stated "MTV Base is concerned about the current health and safety challenges".[6] It sustained international campaign urging individual artists to boycott the event. "We will keep fans updated as we have more news," a statement tweeted by MTV Base Africa.[7] Following the allegations of human rights violations against the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, citing the post-election confinement of former presidential candidate Bobi Wine.[7] Christine Orr, started a petition to cancel the ceremony.[8]