Nigeria’s representative at the 2026 Miss World pageant, Tamunosoye Karibi-George, has bowed out of the competition after reaching the Top 12, while Joheirry Mola Dominguez of the Dominican Republic emerged as the new Miss World.
Mola was crowned Miss World 2026 on Saturday at the grand finale of the 73rd edition of the pageant, held at the April 2 Square in Nha Trang, Vietnam.
Her victory marked the second time the Dominican Republic has produced a Miss World, 44 years after Mariasela Álvarez won the title in 1982.
Mola succeeded Thailand’s Suchata “Opal” Chuangsri, who won the 2025 edition and crowned her successor during the finale.
Spain’s Elisabeth Reynés Alabern emerged as first runner-up, while Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty was named second runner-up. Chetty also received the Beauty with a Purpose award for her social impact work.
Karibi-George, popularly known as Soye, delivered a strong performance for Nigeria, progressing through several stages before her journey ended in the Top 12.
The 26-year-old had earlier secured an automatic place in the Top 40 after winning the Africa Top Model title at the Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest. She defeated contestants from Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya and South Africa to claim the continental modelling title.
She subsequently advanced to the Top 20 and then the Top 12, but narrowly missed out on a place in the final six.
Her Top 12 finish came alongside contestants from Brazil, France, the Philippines, Zambia and Zimbabwe, who also failed to progress to the final stage.
The final six contestants were Mola of the Dominican Republic, Reynés of Spain, Chetty of Malaysia, Lê Nguyễn Bảo Ngọc of Vietnam, Romanda Hombir of South Africa and Snit Habteab Tewoldemedhin of Eritrea.
Mola, 24, is a literature and social studies teacher, professional model, news correspondent and community advocate. She holds a degree in Business Management and Administration from Universidad Iberoamericana and founded Voices of Tomorrow, an initiative focused on providing English-language education to children and young people in vulnerable communities.
Her advocacy for access to education featured prominently throughout the competition and formed a major part of her presentation during the final stage.
Mola had earlier won the Americas and Caribbean Top Model title, securing her place in the Top 40 before eventually going on to claim the Miss World crown.
Her victory also reflected the pageant’s “Beauty with a Purpose” philosophy, which places emphasis on social impact and community advocacy alongside beauty and modelling.
For Nigeria, Karibi-George’s Top 12 finish represented another strong showing on the international stage.
The Port Harcourt-born beauty queen represented Bayelsa State at the national pageant and was crowned Miss World Nigeria 2026 in June at the Balmoral Hall of the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos. She succeeded Joy Mojisola Raimi, who reached the Top 20 at the 2025 Miss World pageant.
Karibi-George is a communications professional, model, actress, voice-over artist, event host and scriptwriter. She is also the founder of Beyond Labels, an initiative focused on inclusion, dignity, education and empowerment for children with disabilities, special needs and neurodivergent individuals.
During the Miss World competition, she participated in the Head-to-Head Challenge and Talent Competition, where she performed “Opportunity” by Sia.
She also used the global platform to showcase Nigerian culture, with several of her outfits highlighting the Niger Delta’s environmental and cultural heritage.
One of her notable appearances was the “Amazon of the Mangrove” costume, designed to highlight environmental resilience and women’s strength. She also appeared in a green-white-green evening gown inspired by Nigeria’s national colours.
The 2026 Miss World pageant featured 111 contestants divided into four continental groups: Africa, the Americas and Caribbean, Europe, and Asia and Oceania.
Contestants progressed through a series of fast-track challenges and elimination stages, including the Top 40, Top 20, Top 12 and Top Six, before the winner and runners-up were selected.
The 2026 edition marked the first time Vietnam hosted the Miss World competition and also coincided with the organisation’s 75th anniversary.
Several countries also made their Miss World debuts, including Eritrea, French Guiana, the Maldives, Mozambique and Pakistan.
Following Mola’s crowning, Tanzania is scheduled to host the 74th edition of the Miss World pageant in 2027.
