Tamunosoye Karibi-George Wins African Top Model Title at Miss World

Tamunosoye Karibi-George has given Nigeria another big win at Miss World 2026. The Miss World Nigeria 2026 winner has been named Africa’s Top Model, securing her place in the Top 40 of the global competition taking place in Vietnam.

Karibi-George earned the title during the Top Model competition held as part of Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest XVII, themed “Soul of Heritage.” She came out on top as the African winner, finishing ahead of contestants from Equatorial Guinea, Botswana, Kenya and South Africa. Her win means she does not have to wait for the other challenges to determine her place in the quarter-finals. She is already in.

Photo: Instagram/@Tamunosoye George

The Miss World Organisation announced four continental Top Model winners, with Nigeria representing Africa. The other winners came from the Dominican Republic for the Americas and Caribbean, France for Europe, and Vietnam for Asia and Oceania. Each continental winner earned an automatic place in the Top 40, which has 10 contestants from each region.

There is still more at stake for Karibi-George. The four continental winners will continue in the race for the overall Top Model title, and the eventual winner will receive a direct place in the Top 20. That gives Nigeria’s representative another opportunity to move further ahead before the competition reaches its final stages.

For Karibi-George, this latest achievement adds to a pageant journey that had already taken her beyond Nigeria. The 26-year-old, who is from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was crowned Miss World Nigeria 2026 after representing Bayelsa State at the national competition. She emerged from a field of 20 finalists and took over the crown from Joy Raimi.

Photo: Miss World

Her story also extends beyond pageantry. Karibi-George is a communications professional and the founder of Beyond Labels, an initiative focused on inclusion and opportunities for children with special needs. She has carried that advocacy into her Miss World journey, giving the Nigerian queen something more to represent than a title and a sash.

She had also shown promise earlier in Vietnam, reaching the African finals of the Head-to-Head Challenge before taking the Africa Top Model title.

Now, with a Top 40 spot already secured, Karibi-George has a bigger challenge ahead: pushing her way closer to the Miss World crown. For Nigeria, the wait continues, but the country already has plenty to celebrate.