Nigeria has a new representative for the global stage. Last night, Tamunosoye Karibi George was crowned Miss World Nigeria 2026 at the Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos, in a grand finale that brought together 20 finalists from across the country under the theme “Pride, Power, and Purpose.”
Tamunosoye Karibi-George, 26, from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has been crowned Miss World Nigeria 2026 at the Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos. She succeeds Joy Mojisola Raimi and will represent Nigeria at the 73rd Miss World pageant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from 9 August to 5 September 2026.
The event organised by the Silverbird Group, the Miss World Nigeria 2026 coronation night was more than a beauty pageant — it was a showcase of intelligence, advocacy, and leadership. The finalists had spent the preceding week in camp engaged in leadership training and community-focused activities, all of which fed into the evening’s judging criteria. When the scores were tallied and the crown was placed, it was Tamunosoye Karibi-George, 26, representing Bayelsa State and hailing from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, who emerged from the competitive field to claim the title.
She succeeds Joy Mojisola Raimi, Miss World Nigeria 2025, who represented Nigeria at the 72nd Miss World pageant in Hyderabad, India, where she reached the Top 20 and placed among the Top 5 from Africa.
For Tamunosoye, the Miss World Nigeria crown is the next chapter in an already impressive pageant journey. She previously represented Nigeria as Miss Africa International 2024, winning the title at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana, in December 2024 — experience that has prepared her well for the responsibilities that come with Nigeria’s most prominent pageant title. Guy Murray–Bruce, President of the Silverbird Group and National Director of Miss World Nigeria, reinforced what the organisation looks for in its titleholders, emphasising that the platform is designed to empower young Nigerian women for leadership and that winning goes beyond appearance, requiring contestants to demonstrate meaningful contributions to society.
With the crown now firmly on her head, attention turns to what comes next. Tamunosoye Karibi-George will represent Nigeria at the 75th Anniversary of the Miss World Festival, also its 73rd edition, which will be held in Vietnam from 9 August to 5 September 2026, with the grand finale scheduled for Ho Chi Minh City. She carries with her the weight of Nigeria’s proud history at the international competition, a history that includes producing the first Black African winner in the pageant’s history when Agbani Darego claimed the crown in 2001.
