By Paul Joseph
Tamunosoye Karibi-George, who represented Bayelsa State, has emerged as the winner of the Miss World Nigeria 2026 pageant, earning the right to represent Nigeria at the 73rd Miss World Festival scheduled to hold in Vietnam later this year.
The 26-year-old beauty queen clinched the national crown after outperforming 19 other contestants at the grand finale held on Saturday at Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos. Although she competed under the Bayelsa State banner, Karibi-George is originally from Rivers State.
Her victory secured Nigeria’s representation at the prestigious global pageant, which is slated to take place in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from August 9 to September 5, 2026.
The 2026 edition of the competition was held under the theme, “Pride, Power and Purpose,” attracting contestants from across the country in a contest that celebrated beauty, intelligence, leadership and social impact.
Founder of the Silverbird Group, Ben Murray-Bruce, announced the result and congratulated the new queen, describing her as a worthy ambassador for Nigeria.
According to Murray-Bruce, Karibi-George distinguished herself not only through her poise and intelligence but also through her advocacy initiative, Beyond Labels, which promotes inclusion and support for children living with special needs.
He noted that the initiative seeks to create opportunities for children with disabilities, encouraging them to pursue their dreams regardless of their circumstances.
Murray-Bruce also called on Nigerians to support the new queen as she prepares for the international competition, expressing confidence in her ability to make the country proud on the global stage.
Miss World Nigeria, organised annually by the Silverbird Group, serves as Nigeria’s official selection platform for the global Miss World competition and places significant emphasis on humanitarian and community development projects through the Beauty With a Purpose programme.
Karibi-George succeeds Joy Mojisola Raimi, who represented Nigeria at the 72nd edition of Miss World in Hyderabad, India, where she finished among the Top 20 contestants and ranked among Africa’s top five representatives.
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