MISS WORLD 2026: MEET NIGERIA’S 26-YEAR-OLD REPRESENTATIVE IN VIETNAM
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By:Tajudeen Aminat
Tamunosoye Karibi-George, the newly crowned Miss World Nigeria 2026, has arrived in Vietnam, where she is representing Nigeria at the ongoing 73rd Miss World Festival.
The 26-year-old beauty queen from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is among contestants from around the world competing for the prestigious Miss World crown.
Karibi-George emerged as Miss World Nigeria 2026 after defeating 19 other finalists at the grand finale held at the Balmoral Hall of the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos.
Although a native of Port Harcourt, she represented Bayelsa State during the Miss World Nigeria competition.
Following her victory, Karibi-George, popularly known as Soye, travelled to Vietnam to join other contestants for the various activities and challenges leading up to the grand finale of the global pageant.
Beyond pageantry, Karibi-George is a trained communications professional with interests in advocacy, public engagement and social development.
She studied at Madonna University, Okija, after completing her secondary education at Obiye High School and Obiye Academy. She is also an associate of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
A major part of her identity is her advocacy for children with special needs. She is the founder of Beyond Labels, an initiative focused on promoting inclusion, dignity and empowerment for children with special needs.
Through Beyond Labels, Karibi-George advocates for a society where children are not defined by disabilities or circumstances but are given opportunities to discover their abilities, develop their talents and pursue their ambitions.
Her advocacy has also become an important component of her journey as a beauty queen, with social impact forming part of the platform she is taking to the international stage.
Karibi-George is also not a newcomer to international pageantry. Before winning the Miss World Nigeria crown, she emerged winner of Miss Africa International 2024 in Accra, Ghana.
Her victory at the continental pageant gave her valuable international exposure and experience ahead of her appearance at the Miss World competition.
She succeeded Joy Mojisola Raimi, who represented Nigeria at the 72nd Miss World pageant in India. Raimi reached the Top 20 at the global competition and was also ranked among the leading African contestants.
Karibi-George will now aim to surpass that performance as she competes for the Blue Crown in Vietnam.
Ahead of her departure from Nigeria, she described her participation as more than a beauty competition.
In a Facebook post on August 7, she wrote, “With purpose in my heart, I depart Nigeria to represent our great nation at the 73rd Miss World Festival in Vietnam.”
She added that the journey was about representing Nigeria’s “strength, culture, tenacity, and compassion” while continuing to champion the Beyond Labels Initiative and the belief that every individual deserves to be recognised for their potential.
“Vietnam is calling, and Nigeria is coming,” she wrote.
Now in Vietnam, Karibi-George is taking part in the activities and challenges that form part of the Miss World Festival as contestants compete for places ahead of the grand finale.
The competition goes beyond physical appearance, with contestants expected to demonstrate intelligence, confidence, communication skills, purpose and commitment to social causes.
For Karibi-George, her Beyond Labels initiative provides an opportunity to draw international attention to the experiences and challenges faced by children with special needs.
She is also expected to showcase Nigeria’s culture and identity throughout the competition.
Her participation comes as Nigeria seeks another strong performance at Miss World following Raimi’s Top 20 finish at the previous edition.
As the 73rd Miss World Festival progresses in Vietnam, attention will now focus on how far Karibi-George can advance in the competition.
For the Port Harcourt-born beauty queen, however, the journey extends beyond winning a crown. It is an opportunity to tell Nigeria’s story, promote her advocacy and demonstrate that beauty, purpose and social impact can share the same global stage.
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