Four Thoughts on the 2026 AMVCA Nominations

For 12 years, the AMVCA has stood as the preeminent award show in the African film industry since its inception in 2013. Organized by Multichoice, the AMVCA has evolved over the years, but not without some definitional challenges. Yearly, the nomination and award night raises questions and conversations around the AMVCA’s identity crisis, its inability to award excellent and deserving films, filmmakers, and actors, and Nigerian filmmakers dominating the nominees list and awardees despite its pan-African positioning.  Ahead of  its 12th edition,  it has announced its nominee list for the ceremony scheduled for 9th May, 2026.

Nigerian veteran actress Joke Silva is this year’s Head Judge after taking over from long-standing head juror Femi Odugbemi. The 12th AMVCA will feature 32 award categories, comprising 18 jury-voting categories, 11 public-voting categories, and 3 special recognition awards, including Lifetime Achievement and Trailblazer honours. 

Is the AMVCA  Suffering from an Identity Crisis?

2026 isn’t different. After the nominees were announced yesterday, there has been the yearly, repetitive conversation about the AMVCA’s identity and lumping film and TV together. Veteran filmmaker Ego Boyo had tweeted about confusion about the AMVCA. “I am always a bit confused by the AMVCA nominations. “Is every film that is submitted picked, or is it a critical process of elimination? Based on some criteria? They also seem to put films and series in the same categories. So confusing. Congratulations to all nominees,” she tweeted. These aren’t unfamiliar questions for anyone who has critically followed the AMVCA. Nigerian audiences, filmmakers, culture writers, and film critics have repeatedly asked these questions. There have been reluctant changes. But these slow changes haven’t been able to answer fundamental questions: what’s the AMVCA’s identity? Is it a TV or film award? And is the AMVCA a viewers’ award? If not, why do we still have non-voting categories? 

Globally, reputable awards don’t award both films and TV. The Academy Awards, a.k.a. the Oscars, which honour excellence in film, and the Emmy Awards honour excellence in television. The Golden Globes, which merges TV and film, have separate categories for film and television — 15 for film and 12 for TV. 

There is an uneducated lumping together of film and TV in this year’s nomination list. For the performance categories (Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor, and Best Actress) and the technical categories (Best Art Direction, Best Music Score, Best Sound Design, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography), actors and films were combined. This isn’t just laughable but grossly ignorant as an award system that hopes to instill excellence in the industry. How does it instill a sense of excellence if it can’t define its categories and criteria? 

Nigerian or Pan-African Award Show?

When the AMVCA debuted in 2013, there was a conscious attempt to recognize films and filmmakers outside Nigeria. The AMVCA’s debut award nomination list saw Sara Blecher’s Otelo Burning from  South Africa with 13 nominations. Trailing it was Nigeria’s The Mirror Boy with eleven nominations. After that year, the award’s list featured fewer non-Nigerian names and films in its major categories. This begs the following questions: Is the AMVCA a Nigerian award show? And does the award show, even with its inherent issues, represent the creative depth of filmmakers across the continent? 

Although there is a category for Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa), Best Indigenous Language Film (East Africa), Best Indigenous Language Film (South Africa), and the recently introduced Best Indigenous Language Film (North Africa), and Best Indigenous Language Film (Central Africa). These categories represent non-Nigerian titles. But since Nigerian filmmakers and titles have monopolised the AMVCA major list, including performance and technical categories, there’s a need for the award show to broaden its scope to accommodate film and television productions from Northern and Central African countries. This will encourage cross-cultural and intercontinental Afrocentric storytelling and collaborations, especially with Zoey Martison’s The Fisherman having a continental theatrical release. 

Awarding Excellence or Commercial Success?

In 2025, one of the observations that Culture Custodian made was how ironic it is that Prince Daniel Aboki’s Mai Martaba, Nigeria’s official submission to the Oscars, left the ceremony without a single win. “Though nominated for Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa), the award ultimately went to Lisabi: The Uprising. The irony was hard to miss, a film chosen to represent the country on the world’s biggest cinematic stage failed to secure victory on its home turf.” In Culture Custodian’s prediction list for the AMVCA 2025, we reflected on the award shows’ balancing of critical acclaim over commercial success. “Except last year, the AMVCA hasn’t been one to place critical acclaim over commercial success and virality. But, with the tiny but noticeable change it seems to be embracing, one can hope that the deeply-moving With Difficulty Comes Ease and thrilling The Weekend have a fair standing chance if they were submitted by the filmmakers.” Korede Azeez submitted With Difficulty Comes Ease, but it received zero nominations despite its popularity and critical acceptance. This year, Taiwo Egunjobi’s The Fire and The Moth, Ema Edosio-Deelen’s When Nigeria Happens, and others are missing despite being part of the best films of 2025. 

Nigerians Love Nollywood

The AMVCA, just as mainstream Nollywood titles, often inspires disillusionment. As highlighted, the nomination list and winners have sparked doom-inclined commentary. Despite repeated criticisms, the AMVCA has remained unchanged. But Nigerians still hold conversations online and offline. These conversations are indicative of Nigerians’ patriotic feeling towards Nollywood. It also hints at a possible film culture in Nollywood. 

Here’s the list of the AMVCA nominees. 

Best Digital Content Creator

Elozonam Ogbolu, Genoveva Umeh

Akwaman

Destiny Ogie Osarewinda

Emmanuel Kanaga, Sophia Chisom

Benedict Ehimare Oriaifo

Taaooma

Steve Chuks

Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa)

The Serpent’s Gift

Lisabi: A Legend Is Born

Labake Olododo

Olorisha

Aljana

Best Indigenous Language Film (East Africa)

Inside Job

Sayari

Addis Fikir

My Son

Kimote

Best Indigenous Language Film (South Africa)

Bet I Love You

Sebata: The Beast

Ben Made It

Terra Of Queens And Kuma 2

Tlhaho Ya Mosadi

Best Indigenous Language Film (North Africa)

The Omnipresent

The Delivery

The Hidden Voice

This Is Portsaid

Artal Alhanin: Our Memories

Best Indigenous Language Film (Central Africa)

Mabanda

Safou: A Gift From Nature

Golden Spoon

Best Scripted M-Net Original

Adam to Eve

Mother of The Brides

The Yard

The Low Priest

Bobo

Best Unscripted M-Net Original

Nigerian Idol S10

Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa

Chapa Chapa My Love

Out N About (Harar)

Undugu

Best Indigenous M-Net Original

Inimba

Kukoyi

Undugu

Out N’ About (Harar)

Kampala Creme

The Chocolate Empire

Mgbuka

Best Short Film

Fleas

Rise

Telephone

Hussaini

My Body, God’s Temple

Best Supporting Actor 

Simileoluwa Hassan – The Yard

Lateef Adedimeji – Gingerrr

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 Supporting Actress 

Linda Ejiofor – The Herd

Olamide Kidbaby – Oversabi Aunty

Bisola Aiyeola – Gingerrr

Sola Sobowale – The Covenant

Nadia Dutch – Aljana

Amal Umar – The Herd

Julie Brenda Nyambura – MTV Shuga Mashariki

Funke Akindele – Behind The Scenes

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

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 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

Emmauel Igbekele – Gingerrr

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 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 Music Score 

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 Art Direction 

Zainab Oladipupo – The Serpent’s Gift

Omolade Abisola – The Herd

Ajamolaya Bunmi – Colours Of Fire

Olatunji Afolayan, Gideon Stephen – Aljana

Victor Akpan – Suky

Thabiso Senne – Inimba

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 Writing TV Series 

Donald Tombia, Timendu Aghahowa, Chiemeka Osuagwu – The Wives

Annette Shadeya, Natasha Likimani, Mkamzee Mwatela, Arnold Mwanjila, Makgano Mamabolo – MTV Shuga Mashariki

Xavier Ighorodje – Our Husband

Besufekade Mulu – Addis Fikir

Temilola Balogun – Baba Oh

Stephen Okonkwo – The Party

Yednekachew Ayne – Gizat

Best Writing in a 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 Documentary 

Beyond Olympic Glory

The Good, The Bad of Afrobeat

The People Shall

Not Addressing This Anymore

BOU

Best Scripted Series 

To Kill A Monkey

The Yard

The Chocolate Empire

Inimba

Kash Money

Best Unscripted Series

The Real Housewives Of Lagos

Nigerian Idol

Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa

Offair With Gbemi And Toolz

Out N’ About (Harar)

Best Director

Akinola Davies Jr.- My Father’s Shadow

Tunde Kelani – Cordelia

James Omokwe – Osamede

Daniel Etim Effiong – The Herd

Yemi Filmboy Morafa – Gingerrr

Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi – 3 Cold Dishes

Best Overall Movie

Gingerrr

The Herd

My Father’s Shadow

3 Cold Dishes

The Serpent’s Gift

Behind The Scenes

Public voting is now open for select categories, and viewers can vote and support their favourite nominees. Winners will be revealed at the awards ceremony taking place on May 9th.