Nigerian Star Rema Brings Kwita Izina Celebrations to a Roaring Finale

Thousands of fans turned Kigali’s BK Arena into a giant chorus as Nigerian star Rema brought the Kwita Izina concert to its climax. The evening began with Rwanda’s own music and ended with one of Africa’s biggest stars commanding the stage.

Rwandan performers set the tone. Kivumbi opened the memorable stretch of the show, followed by DJ Marnaud, whose lively set steadily pulled the crowd into the celebration. Joel Ruti then raised the energy by combining traditional Rwandan sounds with dancehall influences. His call, “Rwanda mureba,” drew an enthusiastic response from the audience.

The performance grew larger when Intore Masamba joined Ruti and the DJ on stage. Traditional music took centre stage without losing the youthful momentum in the arena. The performers moved into Gakondo songs, including “Agasaza,” before paying tribute to the late music icon Bravan with “Oya.” The tribute briefly turned the celebration into a moment of remembrance for an artist whose music remains familiar to Rwandan audiences.

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Rwanda, look

As Rema’s entrance approached, amapiano filled the arena and songs such as “Jealousy” kept fans dancing. A five-minute countdown appeared before the music stopped, signalling the arrival of the headline act. Rema opened by telling the crowd, “This is another banger,” then moved through Yayo, Holiday, Soweto, Woman and “Favourite Girl.” Celebrity DJ Sparkz joined him during the performance, which shifted into an Afrobeat party.

The strongest singalong came with “Calm Down,” as thousands of fans confidently sang back the words. Rema followed with “Benin Boys,” his collaboration with Shallipopi, then performed “Second Hand” and other songs. By the end, the arena had become part of the performance, closing a concert that moved from Rwanda’s musical past and present to one of Africa’s most influential young stars.

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This is another banger