Miss World 2026: Meet 24 African Contestants Flying Continent’s Flag in Vietnam(VIDEO)

By ELIZABETH NTA

Romanda Hombir (Miss World South Africa 2026), Fatoumata Diop (Miss World Senegal 2026), and Tamunosoye Karibi-George (Miss World Nigeria 2026) represent their nations at the 73rd Miss World Festival in Vietnam.

The 75th Anniversary edition of Miss World is underway in Vietnam, with contestants from across the globe competing through a series of challenges and fast-track events ahead of the grand finale on September 5, 2026.

Among them are 24 African contestants representing countries across West, East, Central, North and Southern Africa. Beyond the pageant stage, the delegates include entrepreneurs, students, medical professionals, models, advocates and creatives, with causes ranging from healthcare and education to youth empowerment and inclusion.

Miss World 2026: Four Continental winners battle for automatic top 20 spot (VIDEO)

The Miss World Festival began on August 9, with contestants taking part in cultural activities and preliminary challenges before the competition moves towards the Top 40. Under the official 2026 format, contestants will advance to the Top 40 through a combination of fast-track challenges and regional selections.

Here are the African contestants taking part in this year’s competition:

West Africa

Côte d’Ivoire — Fatima Koné

The 23-year-old from Bouaké combines modelling with academic pursuits and youth advocacy. She is developing a business incubator framework aimed at mentoring young entrepreneurs.

Ghana — Rumzia Sule

The 22-year-old Miss Ghana winner is focused on educational outreach and skills development for girls in underserved communities, particularly in Ghana’s North East Region.

Guinea — Saran Keita

The 26-year-old from Kankan works around public health education, with initiatives focused on maternal wellbeing and economic empowerment for rural women.

Guinea-Bissau — Hernânia Nantote

The 26-year-old is using her platform to promote youth literacy and community development in Guinea-Bissau.

Nigeria — Tamunosoye Karibi-George

Tamunosoye Karibi-George poses in her official portrait as Miss World Nigeria 2026 following her coronation in Lagos. Photo Credit: Tamunosoye Karibi-George/Instagram

The 26-year-old communications professional from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, won Miss World Nigeria 2026 and is representing the country in Vietnam. She has also worked as a voice-over artist and model and leads the Beyond Labels initiative, which promotes inclusion and support for children with special needs.

Senegal — Fatoumata Diop

A marketing strategist, writer and storyteller, Diop has made mental health awareness a central part of her advocacy, particularly among young people.

Sierra Leone — Maryam Lorba Konneh

Konneh’s platform focuses on vocational training and skills acquisition for young women.

East Africa and the Horn

Ethiopia — Ruth Yirgalem Weldesilassie

The 21-year-old university student combines her studies with grassroots community work supporting vulnerable children. She was crowned Miss World Ethiopia in April 2026.

Kenya — Trizah Muhenje Akala

A Tourism Management graduate, Akala brings experience in travel marketing and events while promoting East African tourism, culture and heritage.

Somalia — Foziya Abdullahi Garad

A university student and aspiring pilot, Garad is using her platform to encourage young women to pursue careers traditionally dominated by men.

Tanzania — Latricia Ian Sawe

The Banking and Finance student and brand representative is advocating for autism awareness and more supportive educational environments for children with special needs.

Uganda — Trivia Elle Muhoza

An entrepreneur with an aviation background, Muhoza also runs a cosmetics business and supports vulnerable children while campaigning against gender-based violence.

Central Africa

Cameroon — Raissa Noura Njikam

The 26-year-old Yaoundé native is an entrepreneur and founder of the NOUNJI Foundation, which supports women and young people affected by violence.

Equatorial Guinea — María de los Ángeles Ndong

Representing Malabo, the 25-year-old focuses on educational access and sustainable community outreach.

North Africa

Morocco — Chirihan Chergui

Chergui is using her platform to promote cross-cultural communication and improved educational opportunities for young women.

Southern Africa

Botswana — Ruth Thomas

The 24-year-old Beauty Advisor from Masunga focuses on self-confidence and self-expression among young people.

Malawi — Ireen Navicha

A student, model and community advocate, Navicha promotes access to secondary education and leadership opportunities for young people.

Mozambique — Arcenia Quehá

Quehá is representing Mozambique in the country’s first appearance at Miss World, with a platform centered on sustainable development, youth engagement and environmental awareness.

Namibia — Elly Aron

The Software Development student has interests spanning data analytics, public speaking and spoken-word poetry, alongside advocacy around mental wellbeing.

South Africa — Romanda Hombir

The 27-year-old audiologist and founder of the Caring Purpose Foundation works to improve healthcare access and provide assistive resources for people with hearing loss.

South Sudan — Nyandeng Kerubino Kuanyin Bol

With a background in International Relations and Communication Studies, Bol works in medical sales and focuses on health communication and social policy.

Zambia — Dr Adah Mushibi

A medical doctor and Chinese-language interpreter, Mushibi hopes to become a surgeon while advocating for disability-inclusive healthcare.

Zimbabwe — Brunette Makanyiso

Makanyiso’s platform focuses on grassroots development, particularly youth employment and vocational skills.

Eritrea — Snit Habteab Tewoldemedhin

Making Eritrea’s debut at Miss World, the 26-year-old social advocate became involved in youth media as a teenager and now promotes youth leadership.

Africa’s Race To The Top 40

The competition has already begun producing fast-track qualifiers.

As of August 24, 2026, Africa has secured its first automatic place in the Miss World 2026 Top 40, with South Africa’s Romanda Hombir winning the African round of the Head-to-Head Challenge.

Hombir emerged from the African top five, which also included contestants from Eritrea, Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia. Her victory guarantees her a place in the Top 40, while the other African contestants remain in contention through the competition’s other fast-track routes.

Nigeria’s Tamunosoye Karibi-George was among the five African finalists in the Head-to-Head round but did not secure the automatic Top 40 place. She remains in contention through the competition’s other qualification routes as the 75th Anniversary Edition of Miss World continues in Vietnam.

The 2026 edition also marks the 75th anniversary of Miss World, a competition founded in 1951 by British television and film producer Eric Morley. The anniversary is being celebrated as the organization continues its long-running international pageant, which has evolved to place greater emphasis on advocacy and charitable causes alongside the competition itself.

Other routes to the Top 40

The Head-to-Head Challenge is only one of the routes into the Top 40. The official Miss World format also includes Beauty with a Purpose, Multimedia, Top Model and People’s Choice, while judges will select the remaining places in each continental region.

The Top Model challenge is also progressing. On August 18, 40 contestants advanced from the first runway round in Hải Phòng, but Miss World said their identities were not released during the show. The second round is scheduled for August 28 in Nha Trang.

The People’s Choice competition is another route to the Top 40, with the first round of voting running until 10 p.m. Vietnam time on September 4.

The competition will eventually narrow the field from 40 to 20, then 12 and six finalists before the Miss World 2026 winner and two runners-up are crowned on September 5 in Vietnam.

With Hombir already through, Africa’s campaign has produced its first major breakthrough. The remaining African contestants will continue to compete for places through the other fast-track challenges and the judges’ selections as the race to the crown intensifies.