The 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards held on Saturday, May 9, at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos. My Father’s Shadow was the biggest winner of the night, taking home five awards, including Best Movie and Best Director. Linda Ejiofor made history by winning both Best Lead Actress for The Serpent’s Gift and Best Supporting Actress for The Herd on the same night. Uzor Arukwe claimed Best Lead Actor for Colours of Fire, Uche Montana received the Trailblazer Award, and Sola Sobowale and Kanayo O. Kanayo both walked away with Industry Merit Awards.
AMVCA 2026 Full Winners List
Best Movie
Winner: My Father’s Shadow. Also nominated: Gingerrr, The Herd, 3 Cold Dishes, The Serpent’s Gift, Behind the Scenes.
Best Director
Winner: Akinola Davies Jr. for My Father’s Shadow. Also nominated: Tunde Kelani (Cordelia), James Omokwe (Osamede), Daniel Etim Effiong (The Herd), Yemi Filmboy Morafa (Gingerrr), Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi (3 Cold Dishes).
Best Lead Actress
Winner: Linda Ejiofor for The Serpent’s Gift. Also nominated: 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).
Winner: Uzor Arukwe for Colours of Fire. Also nominated: 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), Wale Ojo (3 Cold Dishes), Femi Branch (Red Circle).
Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Linda Ejiofor for The Herd. Also nominated: Olamide Kidbaby (Oversabi Aunty), Bisola Aiyeola (Gingerrr), Sola Sobowale (The Covenant Series), Nadia Dutch (Aljana), Amal Umar (The Herd), Juliebrenda Nyambura (MTV Shuga Mashariki), Funke Akindele (Behind the Scenes).
Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Bucci Franklin for To Kill a Monkey. Also nominated: Simileoluwa Hassan (The Yard), Lateef Adedimeji (Gingerrr), Gabriel Afolayan (Colours of Fire), Femi Adebayo (King of Thieves 2), Lateef Adedimeji (Red Circle), Femi Branch (Owambe Thieves), Uzor Arukwe (Behind the Scenes).
Best Scripted Series
Winner: Inimba. Also nominated: To Kill a Monkey, The Yard, The Chocolate Empire, Kash Money.
Best Writing in a Movie
Image: Nollywire
Winner: Wale Davies for My Father’s Shadow. Also nominated: Lani Aisida (The Herd), Ikenna Okpara (Blackout), Shirleen Wangari (Cards on the Table), Xavier Ighorodje (Gingerrr), Isaac Ayodeji (Suky), Tomi Adesina (3 Cold Dishes).
Best Writing (TV Series)
Winner: MTV Shuga Masahariki. Also nominated: The Wives, Our Husband, Addis Fikir, Baba OH, The Party, Gizat.
Best Score/Music
Winner: Duval Timothy and CJ Mirra for My Father’s Shadow. Also nominated: 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 Sound/Sound Design
Winner: Pius Fatoke and CJ Mirra for My Father’s Shadow. Also nominated: Tolu Obanro (Gingerrr), Vaughan Phillips (Ben Made It), Tolu Obanro (The Party), Vaughan Phillips (Sebata), Fisayo Adefolaju (The Herd).
Best Cinematography
Winner: Kabelo Thathe for To Kill a Monkey. Also nominated: Jermaine Edwards (My Father’s Shadow), Emmanuel Igbekele (The Herd), Daanong Gyang (Finding Nina), Emmanuel Igbekele (The Serpent’s Gift), KC Obiajulu (Stitches), Emmanuel Igbekele (Gingerrr).
Best Editing
Winner: Daniel Anyiam for To Kill a Monkey. Also nominated: Kazeem Agboola (Cordelia), Omar Guzman Castro (My Father’s Shadow), Nwanguma Peter Chidebere and Dele Doherty (Landline), Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi (3 Cold Dishes), Winston AIG-Ohioma (Osamede).
Best Costume Design
Winner: Valerie Okeke for Colours of Fire. Also nominated: Mary Chukwuma (The Serpent’s Gift), Deola Art Alade and Darey Art Alade (Real Housewives of Lagos S3), Yolanda Okereke (Something About the Briggs), Ikechukwu Urum and John Joseph Angel (To Kill a Monkey).
Best Art Direction
Winner: Ajamolaya Bunmi for Colours of Fire. Also nominated: Zainab Oladipupo (The Serpent’s Gift), Omolade Abisola (The Herd), Olatunji Afolayan and Gideon Stephen (Aljana), Victor Akpan (Suky), Thabiso Senne (Inimba).
Best Makeup
Winner: Adeola Thelma Bamgboye for Lisabi: A Legend Is Born. Also nominated: Mojisola Imam (Behind the Scenes), Diablaq Artistry (Gingerrr), Adeola Thelma Bamgboye (Abanisete), Hakeem Effect (Warlord), Ruth Harcourt (Suky), Adeola Thelma Bamgboye (Labake Olododo).
Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa)
Winner: Lisabi: A Legend Is Born. Also nominated: The Serpent’s Gift, Labake Olododo, Aljana, Olorisha.
Best Indigenous Language Film (East Africa)
Winner: Addis Fikir. Also nominated: Inside Job, Sayari, My Son, Kimote.
Best Indigenous Language Film (South Africa)
Winner: Tlhaho Ya Mosadi. Also nominated: Bet I Love You, Sebata (The Beast), Ben Made It, Terra of Queens and Kuma 2.
Best Indigenous Language Film (North Africa)
Winner: Artal Alhanin: Our Memories. Also nominated: The Omnipresent, The Delivery, The Hidden Voice, This is Portsaid.
Best Indigenous Language Film (Central Africa)
Winner: Mabanda. Also nominated: Safou (A Gift From Nature), Golden Spoon.
Best Indigenous M-Net Original
Winner: Inimba. Also nominated: Kukoyi, Undugu, Out N’ About (Harar), Kampala Creme, The Chocolate Empire, Mgbuka.
Best Scripted M-Net Original
Winner: The Low Priest. Also nominated: Adam to Eve, Mother of the Brides, The Yard, Bobo.
Best Unscripted M-Net Original
Winner: Nigerian Idol Season 10. Also nominated: The Real Housewives of Lagos S3, Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa, Off Air with Gbemi and Toolz, Out N’ About.
Best Documentary
Winner: Beyond Olympic Glory. Also nominated: The Good x The Bad of Afrobeat, The People Shall, Not Addressing This Anymore, BOU.
Best Short Film
Winner: Hussainin. Also nominated: Rise, Fleas, Telephone, My Body God’s Temple.
Best Digital Content Creator
Winner: Leave to Live (Emmanuel Kanaga and Sophia Chisom). Also nominated: Dr Judgina (Elozonam Ogbolu and Genoveva Umeh), The Marriage List (Destiny Ogie), The Rate Race (Benedict Ehimare Oriaifo), Luxury Koko (Taaoma), August Meeting Election (Steve Chuks), Did I Just Hear Muah (Akwaman).
Aminat Sanni-Kamal is a Lagos-based writer, author, and editorial strategist with over 10 years of experience telling stories. She serves as Senior Content Editor at Elowell MAX, where she brings the same precision and depth to editorial work that she brings to her fiction.
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