Nigeria’s Tamunosoye Karibi-George has finished among the Top 12 contestants at Miss World 2026, bringing her campaign to an end as the Dominican Republic claimed the coveted crown.
Joheirry Mola Dominguez of the Dominican Republic was crowned Miss World 2026 at the grand finale of the 73rd edition of the competition on Saturday in Nha Trang, Vietnam.
Mola’s victory gave the Dominican Republic its second Miss World title, following Mariasela Álvarez’s triumph in 1982.
Dominican Republic takes the Miss World crown
Mola succeeded Thailand’s Suchata “Opal” Chuangsri, who won the 2025 competition and crowned her successor during the finale.
Spain’s Elisabeth Reynés Alabern finished as first runner-up, while Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty took the second runner-up position.
Chetty also received the Beauty with a Purpose award in recognition of her social impact work.
The final six contestants were Mola, Reynés Alabern, Chetty, Vietnam’s Lê Nguyễn Bảo Ngọc, South Africa’s Romanda Hombir and Eritrea’s Snit Habteab Tewoldemedhin.
Karibi-George’s Miss World journey ends at Top 12
Karibi-George, widely known as Soye, progressed through multiple rounds before being eliminated at the Top 12 stage.
Her run began with a significant advantage.
She earned an automatic place in the Top 40 after winning the Africa Top Model title at the Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest. Her victory came ahead of contestants representing Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya and South Africa.
The Nigerian contestant subsequently advanced through the Top 20 and Top 12 rounds but did not secure a place among the final six.
Who is Miss World 2026 Joheirry Mola Dominguez?
At 24, Mola brings experience in several fields to the Miss World title.
She works as a literature and social studies teacher, professional model and news correspondent, while also engaging in community advocacy.
Mola studied Business Management and Administration at Universidad Iberoamericana and founded Voices of Tomorrow, an initiative designed to expand access to English-language education for children and young people in vulnerable communities.
Education access became a central part of her advocacy during the pageant and featured prominently in her final-stage presentation.
Karibi-George represents Nigeria
The 26-year-old Port Harcourt native represented Bayelsa State at the national competition before winning the Miss World Nigeria 2026 title in June.
She was crowned at the Balmoral Hall of the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos, succeeding Joy Mojisola Raimi.
Raimi represented Nigeria at the 2025 Miss World competition and reached the Top 20.
Karibi-George works across communications and entertainment as a communications professional, model, actress, voice-over artist, event host and scriptwriter.
Her advocacy and cultural showcase
Beyond the pageant stages, Karibi-George used her platform to highlight inclusion and empowerment.
She founded Beyond Labels, an initiative focused on improving inclusion, dignity, education and opportunities for children with disabilities, people with special needs and neurodivergent individuals.
During the competition, she also took part in the Head-to-Head Challenge and Talent Competition, performing Sia’s “Opportunity.”
Her cultural presentations placed Nigerian identity at the centre of her campaign.
Among her standout looks was the “Amazon of the Mangrove” costume, which drew attention to environmental resilience and the strength of women. She also wore a green-and-white evening gown inspired by Nigeria’s national colours.
How Miss World 2026 unfolded
The 2026 competition brought together 111 contestants divided into four continental groups: Africa, the Americas and Caribbean, Europe, and Asia and Oceania.
Contestants progressed through fast-track events and successive elimination rounds, moving from the Top 40 to the Top 20, Top 12 and finally the Top Six.
Mola ultimately emerged from that field as the new Miss World.
The 2026 edition also marked the first time Vietnam hosted the Miss World competition and coincided with the organisation’s 75th anniversary.
The next Miss World contest is scheduled to take place in Tanzania in 2027.
For Nigeria, Karibi-George’s Top 12 finish marks the conclusion of a campaign that combined pageantry, cultural representation and advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities and neurodivergent communities.
