Nigeria’s representative at the 2026 Miss World pageant, Tamunosoye Karibi-George, has secured a place in the competition’s Top 40 after winning the Africa Top Model title in Vietnam.
The 26-year-old Nigerian emerged victorious on Thursday during the Top Model competition organised as part of the Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest XVII, themed “Soul of Heritage.”
Her victory automatically earned her a place in the Miss World Top 40 quarterfinals, where she will represent Africa alongside contestants who qualified through other fast-track categories.
The Miss World Organisation announced Karibi-George as the African continental winner, alongside representatives who emerged victorious from the Americas and Caribbean, Europe, and Asia and Oceania.
The other continental winners were contestants representing the Dominican Republic, France and Vietnam.
According to the organisers, the four continental winners earned direct places in the Top 40 after distinguishing themselves in the Top Model challenge.
The overall Top Model winner will subsequently be selected from the four continental winners and will receive an automatic ticket to the Miss World Top 20.
Karibi-George had earlier competed in the Head-to-Head Challenge, where she progressed to the African finals.
She eventually defeated contestants from Equatorial Guinea, Botswana, Kenya and South Africa to emerge as Africa’s Top Model winner.
The achievement adds another major milestone to her campaign at the 2026 Miss World competition and increases Nigeria’s representation in the later stages of the pageant.
The Miss World Top 40 will feature 10 contestants from each continent, while additional contestants will qualify through other fast-track challenges.
These include People’s Choice, Beauty With a Purpose, Head-to-Head and Multimedia.
The overall Top Model winner is expected to be selected from the four continental winners and will advance directly to the Top 20.
Karibi-George, who was born in Port Harcourt, was crowned Miss World Nigeria 2026 on June 6 at Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.
She represented Bayelsa State at the national competition and succeeded Joy Mojisola Raimi, who placed among the Top 20 at the previous Miss World edition.
Beyond pageantry, Karibi-George is a communications professional and an associate of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
She is also the founder of Beyond Labels, an initiative focused on promoting inclusion and empowering children with special needs.
Before winning the Miss World Nigeria crown, she was crowned Miss Africa International 2024 in Accra, Ghana.
Her latest achievement in Vietnam has further strengthened Nigeria’s hopes of recording a strong performance at the 2026 Miss World competition.
With her place secured in the Top 40, Karibi-George will now continue her campaign for a possible Top 20 finish and ultimately the coveted Miss World crown.
