Miss World Nigeria 2026, Tamunosoye Karibi George, has secured Nigeria’s place in the Top 40 of the 2026 Miss World competition after winning the African Top Model title in Vietnam.

Karibi George emerged as the continental winner on Thursday during the Top Model competition at the Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest XVII, themed “Soul of Heritage”, defeating representatives from Equatorial Guinea, Botswana, Kenya and South Africa.

Her victory automatically places her among the 40 quarterfinalists competing for the Miss World crown, giving Nigeria an early advantage as contestants continue to battle through the competition’s challenge events.

The Miss World Organisation announced Karibi George as Africa’s Top Model winner alongside the winners from the other three continental categories: the Dominican Republic for the Americas and Caribbean, France for Europe, and Vietnam for Asia and Oceania.

The organisation said the four continental winners had secured places in the Top 40 after distinguishing themselves in the Top Model competition. One of the four will subsequently be selected as the overall Top Model winner and receive a direct place in the Top 20.

The remaining Top 40 places will be decided through other challenge categories, including People’s Choice, Beauty With a Purpose, Head to Head and Multimedia.

Karibi George’s result therefore gives her two opportunities to progress further. She has already secured her place in the Top 40 through the African Top Model title, while another victory as the overall Top Model could take her directly into the Top 20.

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The achievement also adds momentum to her campaign after she previously competed in the Head to Head Challenge and reached the African finalists. South Africa’s Romanda Hombir eventually won that continental round and secured an automatic place in the Top 40.

At 26, Karibi George is from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and represented Bayelsa State at the Miss World Nigeria competition. She was crowned the national winner on June 6 after emerging from a field of 20 finalists at Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

She succeeded Joy Mojisola Raimi, Nigeria’s representative at the previous Miss World competition, who reached the Top 20.

Beyond pageantry, Karibi George has a background in communications and is an associate of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. She founded Beyond Labels, an initiative focused on inclusion, dignity and empowerment for children with special needs.

Her latest success also builds on an earlier international pageant achievement. She won Miss Africa International in Accra, Ghana, in 2024 before going on to win the Miss World Nigeria title this year.

With her place in the Top 40 already secured, Karibi George now becomes one of the contestants to watch as the Miss World competition moves towards its final stages. For Nigeria, the result provides an early opportunity to improve on Raimi’s Top 20 finish and potentially take the country deeper into the competition.

The 2026 Miss World contest is being held in Vietnam, with contestants competing across a series of challenges designed to determine who advances towards the final stages of the competition.

Meiza Nigeria