The 26-year-old Port Harcourt native beat 19 rivals at a star-studded Lagos finale and is now Nigeria’s global ambassador for the 73rd Miss World Festival.
DATE: June 7, 2026 CATEGORY: Entertainment
Nigeria has a new beauty queen. Tamunosoye Karibi-George, 26, representing Bayelsa State at the just-concluded Miss World Nigeria 2026 pageant, has been crowned the country’s most prized pageant title, defeating 19 other finalists from across the federation in a glamorous finale held at the Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The ceremony, organised by the Silverbird Group under the theme “Pride, Power, and Purpose,” was more than a conventional beauty contest. It was a deliberate showcase of intelligence, advocacy, and social impact, where contestants were judged not only on poise and appearance but on their capacity for meaningful leadership and community engagement.
With the crown now firmly on her head, Karibi-George will carry Nigeria’s flag to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where the 73rd Miss World Festival runs from August 9 to September 5, 2026.
Born and raised in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Karibi-George is no newcomer to high-stakes competition. She previously won the Miss Africa International title in Accra, Ghana, in December 2024, having represented Nigeria at that continental contest. As a trained communications professional and associate of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, she brings both professional credibility and advocacy depth to the crown.
Her signature initiative, Beyond Labels, was singled out by pageant organisers as a standout advocacy project. The programme champions inclusion, dignity, and empowerment for children with special needs, creating platforms where young people with disabilities are encouraged to dream beyond the limitations society places on them. Karibi-George also won the Best Advocacy Award on the night, underlining the strength of her social mission.
Silverbird Group founder and former senator Ben Murray-Bruce announced the result to thunderous applause, describing the new queen as someone who transcends the conventional boundaries of pageantry. Contestants from Anambra, Edo, Abuja, and Rivers States finished as runners-up, in what judges described as one of the most competitive editions in the competition’s history.
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Karibi-George succeeds Joy Mojisola Raimi, Miss World Nigeria 2025, who represented the country at the 72nd Miss World pageant in Hyderabad, India, where she placed in the Top 20 and finished among the Top 5 contestants from Africa. The bar has been set high, but early reactions from both pageant observers and everyday Nigerians suggest this new queen has the character and composure to exceed expectations.
Social media lit up overnight with celebrations, with #MissWorldNigeria2026 trending across X, Instagram, and TikTok as Nigerians rallied behind their new representative. Murray-Bruce’s tribute post went viral within hours, generating thousands of shares and reaffirming just how deeply Nigerians connect with moments of national pride on the global stage.
TODAY’S KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Tamunosoye Karibi-George, 26, from Port Harcourt, crowned Miss World Nigeria 2026 at Lagos finale.
- She beat 19 finalists and also won the Best Advocacy Award for her Beyond Labels initiative.
- Karibi-George will represent Nigeria at the 73rd Miss World Festival in Vietnam, Aug 9 to Sept 5, 2026.
- She is a former Miss Africa International (2024) and a trained communications professional.
- #MissWorldNigeria2026 trended nationally on social media hours after the coronation.