AMVCA 2026 List Of Nominees And Winners

The 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA 2026) was hosted by Bovi Ugboma and Nomzamo Mbatha in Lagos, Nigeria on May 9, 2026. The award ceremony celebrating the best in African film, television, and digital content and highlighted a competitive field where “Gingerrr” and “The Herd” led nominations with nine each, followed closely by “To Kill A Monkey” and “My Father’s Shadow”.

Veteran actress Joke Silva served as Head Judge. The awards spanned 32 categories (18 jury voted, 11 audience voted, plus special recognitions).

Below is the complete list of nominees and winners across all major categories.

Major Film & Performance Categories

Best Lead Actor
• Mike Ezuruonye – Oversabi Aunty
• Lateef Adedimeji – Lisabi: A Legend Is Born
• William Benson – To Kill A Monkey
• Kanayo O. Kanayo – Grandpa Must Obey
• Khumbuza Meyiwa – Bet I Love You
• Uzor Arukwe – Colours of Fire (WINNER)
• Wale Ojo – 3 Cold Dishes
• Femi Branch – Red Circle

Best Lead Actress
• Linda Ejiofor – The Serpent’s Gift (WINNER)
• Bimbo Akintola – To Kill A Monkey
• Ifeoma Fafunwa – The Lost Days
• Ariyike Owolagba – Something About The Briggs
• Sola Sobowale – Her Excellency
• Scarlet Gomez – Behind The Scenes
• Genoveva Umeh – The Herd
• Gloria Anozie-Young – Mother Of The Brides

Best Supporting Actor
• Simileoluwa Hassan – The Yard
• Lateef Adedimeji – Gingerrr
• Gabriel Afolayan – Colours Of Fire
• Bucci Franklin – To Kill A Monkey (WINNER)
• Femi Adebayo – King Of Thieves 2
• Lateef Adedimeji – Red Circle
• Femi Branch – Owambe Thieves
• Uzor Arukwe – Behind The Scenes

Best Supporting Actress
• Linda Ejiofor – The Herd (WINNER)
• Olamide Kidbaby – Oversabi Aunty
• Bisola Aiyeola – Gingerrr
• Sola Sobowale – The Covenant
• Nadia Dutch – Aljana
• Amal Umar – The Herd
• Juliebrenda Nyambura – MTV Shuga Mashariki
• Funke Akindele – Behind The Scenes

Best Director
• Akinola Davies Jr. – My Father’s Shadow (WINNER)
• Tunde Kelani – Cordelia
• James Omokwe – Osamede
• Daniel Etim Effiong – The Herd
• Yemi Filmboy Morafa – Gingerrr
• Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi – 3 Cold Dishes

Best Overall Movie / Best Movie
• Gingerrr
• The Herd
• My Father’s Shadow (WINNER)
• 3 Cold Dishes
• The Serpent’s Gift
• Behind The Scenes

Technical & Craft Categories
Best Cinematography
• Jermaine Edwards – My Father’s Shadow
• Kabelo Thathe – To Kill A Monkey (WINNER)
• Emmanuel Igbekele – The Herd / The Serpent’s Gift / Gingerrr
• Others: Daanong Gyang – Finding Nina, KC Obiajulu – Stitches

Best Editing
• Various nominees including Kazeem Agboola (Cordelia), Omar Guzman Castro (My Father’s Shadow)

• Daniel Anyiam – To Kill A Monkey (WINNER)

Best Sound Design
• Pius Fatoke, CJ Mirra – My Father’s Shadow (WINNER)
• Tolu Obanro – Gingerrr / The Party
• Others including Vaughan Phillips, Fisayo Adefolaju

Best Music Score
• Duval Timothy, CJ Mirra – My Father’s Shadow (WINNER)
.Oscar Heman-Ackah – To Kill A Monkey
• Others: Nissi Ogulu, Tolu Obanro, etc.

Best Art Direction
• Ajamolaya Bunmi – Colours Of Fire (WINNER)
• Zainab Oladipupo – The Serpent’s Gift
• Omolade Abisola – The Herd
• Others

Best Costume Design
• Valerie Okeke – Colours of Fire (WINNER)
• Mary Chukwuma – The Serpent’s Gift
• Others including Deola & Darey Art Alade, Yolanda Okereke

Best Makeup
• Hakeem Onilogbo (Hakeem Effect) – Warlord (WINNER)
• Mojisola Imam – Behind The Scenes
• Adeola Bamgboye – Lisabi: A Legend Is Born and others
• Dablaq Artistry – Gingerrr

Best Writing (Movie)
• Wale Davies – My Father’s Shadow (WINNER)
• Lani Aisida – The Herd
• Others: Xavier Ighorodje (Gingerrr), etc.

Best Writing (TV Series)
• MTV Shuga Mashariki team (WINNER)
• The Wives, Our Husband, etc.
Indigenous Language & Regional Films

Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa)
• Lisabi: A Legend Is Born (WINNER)
• The Serpent’s Gift, Labake Olododo, etc.

Best Indigenous Language Film (East Africa)
• Addis Fikir (WINNER)
• Inside Job, Sayari, etc.

Best Indigenous Language Film (South Africa)
• Tlhaho Ya Mosadi (WINNER)
• Bet I Love You, etc.

Best Indigenous Language Film (North Africa)
• Artal Alhanin: Our Memories (WINNER)

Best Indigenous Language Film (Central Africa)
• Mabanda (WINNER)
Series, Digital & Other Categories

Best Scripted Series
• Inimba (WINNER)
• To Kill A Monkey, The Yard, etc.

Best Unscripted Series
• Nigerian Idol S10 (WINNER)
• The Real Housewives Of Lagos, etc.

Best Scripted M-Net Original
• The Low Priest (WINNER)

Best Unscripted M-Net Original
• Nigerian Idol S10 (WINNER)

Best Indigenous M-Net Original
• Inimba (WINNER)

Best Digital Content Creator
• Leave To Live – Emmanuel Kanaga and Sophia Chisom (WINNER)
• Dr Judgina (Elozonam Ogbolu & Genoveva Umeh), Taaoma, Akwaman, etc.

Best Short Film
• Hussaini / Hussainin (WINNER)
• Fleas, Rise, Telephone, etc.

Best Documentary
• Beyond Olympic Glory (WINNER)
• The Good, The Bad of Afrobeat, etc.

Special Awards
• Trailblazer Award: Uche Montana (WINNER)
• Industry Merit Awards: Sola Sobowale and Kanayo O. Kanayo (WINNERS)