E don happen! The Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards don finally release the full list of nominees for the 2026 edition, and the list dey hot like pepper soup. Na the 12th edition of this prestigious award wey celebrate the best of African film and television, and this year own dey carry serious weight.
The ceremony go hold for Lagos on May 9, 2026, and as we dey yarn now, fans don dey argue upandan about who deserve win pass. This year, na 32 categories total – 18 go come from jury decision, 11 go dey for public voting, and three special recognition awards dey on ground. The Lifetime Achievement Award and Trailblazer Award na part of the package.
Wetin make this year different? The organisers don add two new categories: Best Indigenous Language Film for North Africa and Best Indigenous Language Film for Central Africa. This move show say AMVCA dey try cover all corners of Africa, no be only West Africa matter. Na good development wey go make the awards more inclusive.
For the acting categories, some names dey stand out well well. Lateef Adedimeji dey double for Best Supporting Actor and Best Lead Actor categories. For Best Supporting Actor, na for ‘Gingerrr‘ and ‘Red Circle‘ wey him dey, while for Best Lead Actor, him dey for ‘Lisabi: A Legend Is Born’. Na serious flex for one actor to dey multiple categories like that.
The women dem no dey slack either. For Best Lead Actress category, heavyweights like Bimbo Akintola for ‘To Kill A Monkey‘, Linda Ejiofor for ‘The Serpent’s Gift’, and Sola Sobowale for ‘Her Excellency‘ dey compete. Genoveva Umeh for ‘The Herd‘ and Gloria Anozie-Young for ‘Mother Of The Brides’ join the race. Na tough competition wey go make the night interesting.
For Best Supporting Actress, Linda Ejiofor appear again for ‘The Herd’, alongside Olamide Kidbaby for ‘Oversabi Aunty‘, Bisola Aiyeola for ‘Gingerrr’, and even veteran Funke Akindele for ‘Behind The Scenes‘. The mix of old and new faces show say Nollywood dey grow well.
The Best Director category na another hot one. Akinola Davies Jr dey there for ‘My Father's Shadow‘, Tunde Kelani for ‘Cordelia‘, James Omokwe for ‘Osamede’, Daniel Etim Effiong for ‘The Herd’, Yemi Filmboy Morafa for ‘Gingerrr’, and Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi for ‘3 Cold Dishes‘. Na who go carry the crown?
For the big one – Best Movie – six films dey compete: ‘Gingerrr’, ‘The Herd’, ‘My Father’s Shadow’, ‘3 Cold Dishes’, ‘The Serpent’s Gift’, and ‘Behind The Scenes’. Each film get its own unique story and style, and na jury go decide who win.
The digital space no dey left out. For Best Digital Content Creator category, names like Elozonam Ogbolu, Genoveva Umeh, Taaooma, and Steve Chuks dey on the list. This show say online content creation don become serious business for Africa.
Technical categories like Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design, Best Editing, and Best Costume Design dey filled with professionals wey know their work. Emmanuel Igbekele dey three times for Best Cinematography – for ‘The Herd’, ‘The Serpent’s Gift’, and ‘Gingerrr’. Na serious achievement.
For the indigenous language categories, films from different parts of Africa dey represent. ‘The Serpent’s Gift’ and ‘Lisabi: A Legend Is Born’ dey for West Africa category, while ‘Inside Job‘ and ‘Sayari’ dey for East Africa. The new North Africa category get ‘The Omnipresent’ and ‘The Delivery‘, while Central Africa category feature ‘Mabanda’ and ‘Safou: A Gift From Nature’.
The M-Net Original categories dey show the strength of television production across Africa. For scripted series, ‘Adam to Eve‘, ‘Mother of the Bride‘, ‘The Yard‘, ‘The Low Priest‘, and ‘Bobo‘ dey compete. For unscripted, ‘Nigerian Idol S10’, ‘Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa’, and ‘Chapa Chapa My Love’ dey on the list.
As we dey wait for the main event, one thing clear: the 2026 AMVCA go be one to remember. The diversity of nominees, the quality of work wey dey represented, and the pan-African reach of the awards show say African entertainment dey move forward. Fans go dey vote, jury go dey deliberate, and come May 9, we go know who go carry the awards home.
The excitement don start already. Social media dey buzz with discussions about who deserve win and who get snubbed. Some people dey argue say certain actors or films suppose dey on the list but no dey. Others dey happy say their favorites make the cut. Na the beauty of awards like this – e dey create conversation and celebrate excellence.
For the industry professionals, this nomination na big achievement. E mean say your work don get recognition from your peers and from the viewing public. For some, na their first time to dey nominated. For others, na continuation of successful careers. Either way, e dey cause celebration across the continent.
The AMVCA don come a long way since e start. From focusing mainly on Nollywood, e don expand to cover film and television from across Africa. The addition of new categories and the mix of jury and public voting make the awards more comprehensive and democratic. E dey reflect the growth and evolution of African storytelling.
As we dey count down to May 9, one thing sure: Lagos go host another memorable night of glitz, glamour, and celebration of African talent. The red carpet go dey flash with fashion, the stage go dey shine with performances, and the winners go dey celebrate their achievements. Na the kind event wey put African entertainment on the global map.
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