Models
Meet the African Queens Competing for the Miss World 2026 Crown
Twenty-five African women are among the contestants at the 73rd Miss World, currently underway in Vietnam and building toward the grand final in Nha Trang on September 5, 2026. Since the festival opened on August 9, the delegates have gone through the Sash Ceremony in Haiphong, the Top Model challenge at Dragon Beach Square, a Sports Challenge and other early rounds as they compete for one of the 40 spots in the main tournament. The group includes students, entrepreneurs, medical professionals and advocates, each representing a different corner of the continent.
Botswana — Ruth Thomas

Photo: Missosology King
Ruth, 24, works as a Beauty Advisor in Masunga. Her focus is helping young people build self-confidence and self-expression.
Cameroon — Raissa Noura Njikam

Photo: Missosology King
Raissa, 26, was born and raised in Yaoundé. She founded and leads the NOUNJI Foundation, which supports women and young people affected by violence.
Côte d’ivoiee — Fatima Koné

Photo: Missosology King
Fatima, 23, is from Bouaké. She balances school and modelling with youth advocacy, and is currently developing a business incubator to mentor early-stage entrepreneurs.
Equatorial Guinea — María de los Ángeles Ndong

Photo: Missosology King
María, 25, is from Malabo. Her advocacy centres on expanding access to education and building sustainable community outreach programmes.
Eritrea — Snit Habteab Tewoldemedhin

Photo: Missosology King
Snit, 26, is a Montessori educator, parent mentor and founder of Designing for Diversity, a nonprofit focused on creating inclusive learning opportunities for children of all abilities. She has a background in neuroscience and also creates Montessori learning resources and manages nonprofit programmes.
Ethiopia — Ruth Yirgalem Weldesilassie

Photo: Missosology King
Ruth is a Culture Ambassador of Ethiopia, marketer, coffee Q grader, makeup artist and founder of Crown of TAYTU. She holds a degree in Marketing Management and is passionate about celebrating Ethiopian culture while empowering women and young people through education, entrepreneurship and service.
Ghana — Rumzia Sule

Photo: Missosology King
Rumzia, 22, is a flight attendant, communications professional and MBA student. With a background in public relations and diplomatic administration, she uses her Project Inspire Ghana initiative to mentor young people and encourage entrepreneurship.
Guinea — Saran Keita

Photo: Missosology King
Saran, 26, is a cultural and event entrepreneur with a degree in International Relations. She is dedicated to promoting Guinean culture and creating opportunities for her community, while also pursuing humanitarian work and hoping to advocate for women in the future.
Guinea-Bissau — Hernânia Nantote

Photo: Missosology King
Hernânia, 26, brings Guinea-Bissau back to the Miss World stage after an absence. Her work centres on youth literacy and community development.
Kenya — Trizah Muhenje Akala

Photo: Missosology King
Trizah studied Tourism Management and works in travel marketing and event management, using the platform to promote East African hospitality, eco-tourism and cultural heritage.
Malawi — Ireen Navicha

Photo: Missosology King
Ireen is a student, model and community advocate. Her advocacy focuses on youth empowerment, particularly expanding access to secondary education and leadership training.
Morocco — Chirihan Chergui

Photo: Missosology King
Chirihan is a technology entrepreneur with a Master’s degree in Software Engineering. She is passionate about innovation, culture and social impact, and hopes to use technology and entrepreneurship to create opportunities for young people, especially girls.
Mozambique — Arcénia Quehá

Photo: Instagram/@Arcéniaquehá
Arcénia works with regional initiatives focused on sustainable local development, youth engagement and environmental awareness.

Photo: Missosology King
Elly is studying Software Development, with plans to continue into honours and a master’s degree in Data Analytics. She dreams of becoming a remote software engineer and creating technology solutions that have a positive impact.
Nigeria — Tamunosoye “Soye” Karibi-George

Photo: Missosology King
Soye, 26, is from Port Harcourt and works as a communications strategist, voice-over artist and model. She’s an associate of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and leads the Beyond Labels initiative, which pushes for inclusion and better resources for neurodivergent children and children with special needs.
Senegal — Fatoumata Diop

Photo: Missosology King
Fatoumata works as a marketing strategist, writer and storyteller. Her advocacy centres on mental health, pushing for accessible support systems for young people across West Africa.
Sierra Leone — Maryam Lorba Konneh

Photo: Missosology King
Maryam’s platform focuses on expanding vocational training and skill-acquisition programmes for young women.
Somalia — Foziya Abdullahi Garad

Photo: Missosology King
Foziya is an aspiring pilot and university student. She hopes to inspire young women across the Horn of Africa to consider careers outside the traditional path.
South Africa — Romanda Hombir

Photo: Missosology King
Romanda, 27, is a professional audiologist who speaks English, Siswati, IsiZulu, Afrikaans and South African Sign Language. Through her Caring Purpose Foundation, she works to expand healthcare access and resources for people with hearing loss.
South Sudan — Nyandeng Kerubino Kuanyin Bol

Photo: Missosology King
Nyandeng holds a degree in International Relations and Communication Studies and works in medical sales. Her advocacy is built around health communication and social policy reform.
Tanzania — Latricia Ian Sawe

Photo: Missosology King
Latricia is studying Banking and Finance while working in brand representation. Her social impact project focuses on autism awareness and building supportive learning environments for children with special needs.

Photo: Missosology King
Trivia has a background in aviation and runs her own cosmetics brand. She uses her business network to support vulnerable children and campaign against gender-based violence.
Zambia — Dr Adah Mushibi

Photo: Missosology King
Dr Adah is a medical doctor volunteering at the University Teaching Hospital, and also works as a Chinese-language interpreter. She hopes to become a surgeon and advocates for disability-inclusive healthcare.
Zimbabwe — Brunette Makanyiso

Photo: Missosology King
Brunette’s platform is centred on grassroots community development, with an emphasis on youth employment and vocational skills training.
Mauritius — Shreeya Bokhoree

Photo: Missosology King
Shreeya is a Project Lead and Marketing Executive at the Chartreuse Group of Companies. She holds a First Class Honours degree in Advertising, PR, and Branding and works in promoting innovation in the agricultural sector. She hopes to help revolutionise the Mauritian tea industry by showcasing its heritage and quality.
Models
Teminikan Goes Blonde-Girl for Birthday Shoot
Teminikan went blonde for her birthday, and the new hair became the starting point for a birthday shoot. She swapped her usual dark hairstyles for a platinum faux-bob, giving the pictures a vintage touch with the rest of the look built around tailored pieces and a few simple accessories.

Photo: Edos Artistry
Her hair, the highlight of her look, was made into a platinum blonde, short faux-bob sculpted into a full vintage flip with sweeping side bangs, styled by Hair by Aneesha. Her accessory from Neefamo was a silver flower cocktail ring adorned with white stones. She wore black pointed-toe heels with a little gold colour detailing at the front. Her images were photographed by Edos Artistry and styled by Styling by Azeez.

Photo: Edos Artistry
Her outfit was a rust-orange pinstripe pantsuit designed by Nigerian fashion brand Oseyi Adams, featuring a sharp, double-breasted jacket with peak lapels and padded shoulders. It included large flap pockets on the hips and matching fabric-covered buttons. She paired it with high-waisted, flared dress pants tailored with a clean front crease that created a lengthened appearance.
The warm rust-orange shade of the suit worked well with her blonde hair, while her makeup stayed in neutral tones with a soft lip. The silver ring and black heels brought small touches of contrast to the outfit, keeping the styling centred on the suit and hair.

Photo: Edos Artistry
The birthday post also came with a personal note from Teminikan. In her caption, she wrote, “This year, I am doing it softer, sweeter and surrounded by peace.” She ended the message with a simple birthday wish to herself.
Her birthday style last year was different. She wore a gold gown for the celebration. This year, the tailored suit and blonde faux-bob brought a more distinctive edge to her birthday styling.
Models
Tamunosoye Karibi George Wins Miss World Nigeria 2026
Tamunosoye Karibi-George just officially became the new Miss World Nigeria, and Bayelsa State has every reason to celebrate.
The 26-year-old was crowned at the grand finale held at Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, on Saturday night, June 6, 2026. She surpassed 19 other finalists to win the title. Although she represented Bayelsa State in the competition, Karibi-George is originally from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Photo: Instagram
The pageant, organised by the Silverbird Group, started with 37 contestants from different states. They went through a week-long camp that consisted of leadership training and community engagement activities, which also counted toward judging. The field eventually narrowed to 20 finalists. This year’s competition theme was “Pride, Power, and Purpose.”
Silverbird Group founder and former senator representing bayelsa east Ben Murray-Bruce broke the news on Sunday via a post on X, congratulating Karibi-George and highlighting her work outside of pageantry. He wrote: “WE HAVE A QUEEN! A new chapter begins. Please join us in celebrating TAMUNOSOYE KARIBI-GEORGE, representing Bayelsa State, as the newly crowned Miss World Nigeria 2026! More than a queen, Tamunosoye is a passionate advocate for change.

Photo: Instagram
Through her initiative, Beyond Labels, she champions inclusion, dignity, and empowerment for children with special needs, creating safe spaces where every child is encouraged to dream boldly and realise that their circumstances do not define their future.”
Karibi-George takes over from Joy Raimi, who held the Miss World Nigeria 2025 title and represented Nigeria at the 72nd Miss World pageant in Hyderabad, India. Raimi finished in the Top 20 overall and was among the Top 5 contestants from Africa.

Photo: Instagram
Karibi-George will now represent Nigeria at the 73rd Miss World Festival in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from August 9 to September 5, 2026.
Models
African Supermodels Dominating Global Fashion
Six African supermodels are redefining what global fashion is, from runways to campaigns of world’s most coveted luxury houses. Mayowa Nicolas, Anok Yai, Adut Akech, Imaan Hammam, Maty Fall, and Alek Wek are not just breaking barriers but setting new ones, reshaping how African identity is perceived on global stage and joining the ranks of the most iconic fashion models contributing positively to global fashion.
Mayowa Nicolas ( Nigeria)

Photo – brandonmaxwell
A 28 year old Model, born on May 22, 1998 from Lagos, Nigeria. She was first scouted on the streets of Lagos at the age of 14. Mayowa had her official debut when she joined and won the Elite Model Look Nigeria competition in 2014. Her first major global project runway season was in 2015 where she walked for Balmain & Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Kenzo, Hermés, Acne Studio, and others. Her breakthrough milestone came in 2016 when she became the first-ever Nigerian model to star in a Dolce & Gabbana campaign. She made her official debut on Victoria’s Secret in 2018.
Other high-profile designers she has walked for include Prada, Chanel, Versace, Saint Laurent, and Michael Kors.
Mayowa is currently ranked among the Top 50 models known for her lethal razor-sharp runway walks, and elegance.
Anok Yai (South Sudan)

Photo – Instagram
Born on December 20, 1997 to a South Sudanese parents. She was born in Cairo, Egypt and raised in New Hampshire, USA. She was discovered when a street-style photographer took a picture of her at Howard’s University’s Homecoming and it went viral on Instagram.
She got signed by Next Models and her first major booking was opening the Prada Fall/Winter 2018 Show, making her the first Sudanese model and the second Black woman in history after Naomi Campbell to ever open Prada show
Anok Yai has walked for high-profile designer brands like Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford, Chanel, Mugler, Fendi, and Versace. She is known for her striking, hypnotic gaze, porcelain-smooth dark skin and iconic walk.
Anok recently returned to the spotlight as the cover of British Vogue 2026 after she was diagnosed with life-threatening congenital lung defect last year.
Adut Akech (South Sudan)

Photo – dreamstime
From a refugee camp to the global stage. Adut was born on December 25, 1999 in South Sudan, raised in a refugee camp in Kenya and later moved to Adelaide, Australia.
She started walking at small local shows organised by her aunt at age 12 in Australia before signing with Chadwick Models at age 16. Her journey to global stardom began after she landed a runway exclusivity deal with Saint Laurent for the Spring/Summer 2017 show. Shortly after, she became the second Black model to ever close a Chanel Haute Couture Show as the “Chanel Bride.”
Other high-profile designers she has walked for include Valentino, Dior, Versace, Prada, Givenchy, and Alexander McQueen.
She has bagged 16 international Vogue covers in record time. Also known for her commanding runway presence and using her platform to heavily advocate for refugees worldwide.
Imaan Hammam (Morocco)

Photo – Instagram
Imaan was born on October 5, 1996 to a Moroccan mother and Egyptian Father descent. She was raised in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
She was discovered at age 13 by a modeling scout while walking through Amsterdam Central Station. Imaan had her debut on the runway by opening the Givenchy Spring/Summer 2014 show as an exclusive. Her breakthrough followed in 2014 when Anna Wintour placed her on the highly covered September Cover of American Vogue.
She has walked for Alexander McQueen, Versace, Fendi, Jean Paul Gaultier, Jacquemus, and Victoria’s Secret.
She is known for her signature voluminous natural curls, rich North African features, and she’s serving as the global ambassador face of cosmetics giant Estée Lauder.
Maty Fall (Senegal) — Maty Fall Diba

Photo – tagwalk
Maty Fall’s career took off in 2019 when she made a move. Born on May 1, 2001 in Dakar, Senegal. She moved to Chiampo, Italy at age 9. Her career started when she directly submitted her own digital Polaroid photos through the IMG Models online scouting portals in 2019 and got signed a few months after.
Her first project was walking as a semi-exclusive for Saint Laurent’s Spring/Summer 2020 show. She launched into editorial stardom that same season when designer Pierpaolo Piccioli chose her to close the Valentino SS20 show.
Maty has also dominated the global stage as an African model walking for Chanel, Dior, Fendi, Max Mara, Schiaparelli, and Versace.
The Senegalese-Italian is known for her extreme runway versatility and has held a rare industry record for walking 37 elite shows in a single fashion month in September 2020.
Alek Wek (South Sudan)

Photo – vogue
The South Sudan model was born on April 16, 1997 in Wau. She belongs to the Dinka ethnic group but fled to London in 1991 to escape the Sudanese civil war.
At the time she was discovered by chance at age 18 while walking through outdoor Crystal Palace Market in South London by a model scout, she was studying fashion at the London College of Fashion.
She had first commercial projects in 1995, where she starred in high-profile music videos, including Tina Turner’s James Bond theme “GoldenEye.” Her industry milestone came in 1997 when she became the first-ever African model to land the cover of Elle Magazine. This single cover radically challenged Western beauty ideals. In 2004, she made history as the first Black model to close a Chanel Haute Couture show as the iconic “Chanel Bride.”
Alek has walked for Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Ralph Lauren, Givenchy, Fendi, Marc Jacobs, and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
She is known as a trailblazer who single-handedly revolutionized global beauty standards in the late 1990s by bringing dark skin, natural Dinka features and shaved head to the luxury fashion mainstream. Praised by icons like Oprah Winfrey and Lupita Nyong’o for changing how Black women see themselves, she is actively using her platform as a prominent UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador to champion refugee causes worldwide.
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