The nominations for the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) have landed and if you thought Nollywood conversations were slowing down, think again. This year’s list is packed, competitive, and already sparking debates across timelines.
Unveiled by jury head Joke Silva during a live broadcast, the 12th edition of the AMVCAs is shaping up to be one of its most expansive yet. With 32 categories in total, the awards continue to reflect the evolving scale and ambition of African film and television.
Of those categories, 18 will be decided by the jury, while 11 are open to public voting meaning fans will once again play a crucial role in determining some of the night’s biggest wins. Two special honours, the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Trailblazer Award, also return as key highlights of the ceremony.
This year introduces an important shift in scope. For the first time, the AMVCAs have added Best Indigenous Language (North Africa) and Best Indigenous Language (Central Africa), expanding recognition beyond West and Southern Africa and reinforcing the awards’ commitment to a more inclusive, continent-wide narrative.
As expected, the nominations reflect a year where Nollywood showed up and showed out.
Lateef Adedimeji leads one of the most impressive runs this year, earning nominations in both Best Supporting Actor for Gingerr and Best Lead Actor for Red Circle at the AMVCAs. It’s a double nod that speaks to both range and consistency.
On the Best Lead Actress side, it’s a heavyweight lineup. Bimbo Akintola, Sola Sobowale and Linda Ejiofor are all in the running, setting up what might be one of the toughest categories to call this year.
The Best Director category is just as stacked, featuring names like Akinola Davies Jr, Tunde Kelani and Daniel Etim Effiong. It’s a lineup that blends legacy, new-school storytelling, and cross-industry evolution.
Set to take place in May 2026 in Lagos, this year’s ceremony is already shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory. And if early reactions are anything to go by, the real show might start long before the awards night itself.
Because with a list like this, everyone has an opinion and nobody is holding back.
See the AMVCA full list of nominees below:
Best Supporting Actor
Simileoluwa Hassan — The Yard
Lateef Adedimeji — Gingerr
Gabriel Afolayan — Colours of Fire
Bucci Franklin — To Kill a Monkey
Femi Adebayo — King of Thieves 2
Lateef Adedimeji — Red Circle
Femi Branch — Owambe Thieves
Uzor Arukwe — Behind the Scenes
Best Lead Actor
Mike Ezuruonye — Oversabi Aunty
Lateef Adedimeji — Lisabi 2
William Benson — To Kill a Monkey
Kanayo O. Kanayo — Grandpa Must Obey
Khumbuza Meyiwa — Bet I Love You
Uzor Arukwe — Colours of Fire
Wale Ojo — 3 Cold Dishes
Femi Branch — Red Circle
Best Lead Actress
Linda Ejiofor — The Serpent’s Gift
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 Actress
Linda Ejiofor — The Herd
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
Tunde Kelani — Cordelia
James Omokwe — Osamede
Daniel Etim Effiong — The Herd
Yemi Filmboy Morafa — Gingerr
Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi — 3 Cold Dishes
Best Digital Content Creator
Elozonam Ogbolu
Genoveva Umeh
Destiny Ogie Osarewinda
Emmanuel Kanaga
Sophia Chisom
Benedict Ehimare Oriaifo
Taaooma
Steve Chuks
Akwaman
Best Art Direction
Zainab Oladipupo — The Serpent’s Gift
Omolade Abisola — The Herd
Ajamolaya Bunmi — Colours of Fire
Olatunji Afolayan, Gideon O. Stephen — Aljana
Victor Akpan — Suky
Thabiso Senne — Inimba
Best Cinematography
Jermaine Edwards — My Father’s Shadow
Kabelo Thathe — To Kill A Monkey
Emmanuel Igbekele — The Herd
Daanong Gyang — Finding Nina
Emmanuel Igbekele — The Serpent’s Gift
KC Obiajulu — Stitches
Emmanuel Igbekele — Gingerrr
Best Costume Design
Mary Chukwuma — The Serpent’s Gift
Deola Art Alade, Darey Art Alade — The Real Housewives Of Lagos
Valerie Okeke — Colours Of Fire
Yolanda Okereke — Something About The Briggs
Ikechukwu Urum, John Joseph Angel — To Kill A Monkey
Best Makeup
Mojisola Imam — Behind The Scenes
Adeola Bamgboye — Lisabi: A Legend Is Born
Dablaq Artistry — Gingerrr
Adeola Bamgboye — Abanisete
Hakeem Effect — Warlord
Ruth Harcourt — Suky
Adeola Bamgboye — Labake Olododo
Best Sound/Sound Design
Pius Fatoke, CJ Mirra — My Father’s Shadow
Tolu Obanro — Gingerrr
Vaughan Phillips — Ben Made It
Tolu Obanro — The Party
Vaughan Phillips — Sebata: The Beast
Fisayo Adefolaju — The Herd
Best Score/Music
Duval Timothy, CJ Mirra — My Father’s Shadow
Nissi Ogulu — 3 Cold Dishes
Chubb Okobah — Osamede
Tolu Obanro — Gingerrr
Tolu Obanro — The Party
Sofresh — MTV Shuga Mashariki
Oscar Heman-Ackah — To Kill A Monkey
Best Editing
Kazeem Agboola — Cordelia
Omar Guzman Castro — My Father’s Shadow
Wanguma Peter Chidebere, Dele Doherty — Landline
Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi — 3 Cold Dishes
Winston Aig-Ohioma — Osamede
Daniel Anyiam — To Kill A Monkey
Best Writing (Movie)
Lani Aisida — The Herd
Wale Davies — My Father’s Shadow
Ikenna Okpara — Blackout
Shirleen Wangari — Cards On The Table
Xavier Ighorodje — Gingerrr
Isaac Ayodeji — Suky
Tomi Adesina — 3 Cold Dishes
Best Writing TV Series
Besufekade Mulu — Addis Fikir
Temilola Balogun — Baba Oh
Stephen Okonkwo — The Party
Yednekachew Ayne — Gizat
Best Documentary
Beyond Olympic Glory
The Good, The Bad of Afrobeat
The People Shall
Not Addressing This Anymore
BOU
Best Series Unscripted
The Real Housewives Of Lagos S3
Nigerian Idol S10
Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa
Offair With Gbemi And Toolz
Out N About (Harar)
Best Series Scripted
To Kill A Monkey
The Yard
The Chocolate Empire
Inimba
Kash Money
Best Movie
Gingerrr
The Herd
My Father’s Shadow
3 Cold Dishes
The Serpent’s Gift
Behind The Scenes