The Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos once again became the beating heart of African entertainment as the 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) unfolded in a dazzling ceremony on Saturday night. Hosted by the charismatic duo of Bovi Ugboma and Nomzamo Mbatha, the star-studded event honoured outstanding achievements in film, television, and digital content creation across the African continent, spanning 32 categories.
The night belonged to My Father’s Shadow, the British-Nigerian debut feature from director Akinola Davies Jr. The critically acclaimed drama, which was already decorated at Cannes, BAFTA, and the British Independent Film Awards, swept five major categories, including Best Movie, Best Director, Best Writing in a Movie, Best Score/Music, and Best Sound/Sound Design. It was a historic victory for an independent African film that had traversed the global festival circuit before claiming Nollywood’s biggest night.
Close behind were To Kill a Monkey and Colours of Fire, each picking up three trophies. The evening also produced a personal milestone: Linda Ejiofor became the first person in AMVCA history to win both Best Lead Actress and Best Supporting Actress in the same year. In another emotional highlight, Lateef Adedimeji dedicated his Best Indigenous Language Film win for Lisabi: A Legend Is Born to his wife, Mo Bimpe, just days after the couple announced the arrival of their triplets.
Veteran Nollywood icons Sola Sobowale and Kanayo O. Kanayo received Industry Merit Awards, while rising star Uche Montana was honoured with the Trailblazer Award.
Below is the complete list of nominees and winners across all categories.
BEST MOVIE
WINNER: My Father’s Shadow — Funmbi Ogunbanwo & Rachel Dargavel
- Gingerrr — Ope Ajayi, Bisola Aiyeola, Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, Wumi Toriola, Bolaji Ogunmola, Onyeka Nnama
- The Herd — Daniel Etim Effiong, Efe Ejukoriem, Ulogo Chukwudi, Kene Okwuosa, Craig Shurn, Ladun Awobokun
- 3 Cold Dishes — Martial Dansou, Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi, Ly Oumar
- The Serpent’s Gift — Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi
BEST DIRECTOR
WINNER: Akinola Davies Jr. — My Father’s Shadow
- Tunde Kelani — Cordelia
- James Kalu Omokwe — Osamede
- Daniel Etim Effiong — The Herd
- Yemi Filmboy Morafa — Gingerrr
- Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi — 3 Cold Dishes
BEST LEAD ACTOR
WINNER: Uzor Arukwe — Colours of Fire
- 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 LEAD ACTRESS
WINNER: 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 ACTOR
WINNER: Bucci Franklin — To Kill a Monkey
- Simileoluwa Hassan — The Yard
- Lateef Adedimeji — Gingerrr
- Gabriel Afolayan — Colours of Fire
- Femi Adebayo — Agesinkole (King of Thieves) 2
- Lateef Adedimeji — Red Circle
- Femi Branch — Owambe Thieves
- Uzor Arukwe — Behind the Scenes
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
WINNER: Linda Ejiofor — The Herd
- 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 SERIES (SCRIPTED)
WINNER: Inimba — Siphosethu Tshapu, Thandi Ramathesele & Yolanda Ndhlovu
- To Kill a Monkey — Kemi Adetiba
- The Yard — James Kalu Omokwe
- The Chocolate Empire — Grace Kahaki & Philippe Bresson
- Kash Money — Grace Kahaki & Philippe Benson
BEST SERIES (UNSCRIPTED)
WINNER: Out N’ About (Harar) — Bruk Yibrah
- The Real Housewives of Lagos (S3) — Deola Art Alade & Darey Art Alade
- Nigerian Idol (S10) — Sulaiman Kassim & Anneke De Ridder
- Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa — Graeme Swanepoel
- Off Air — Gbemi and Toolz
BEST WRITING — MOVIE
WINNER: Wale Davies — My Father’s Shadow
- 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: Annette Shadeya, Natasha Likimani, Mkamzee Mwatela, Arnold Mwanjila & Makgano Mamabolo — MTV Shuga Mashariki
- Donald Tombia, Timendu Aghahowa & Chiemeka Osuagwu — The Wives
- Xavier Ighorodje — Our Husband
- Besufekade Mulu — Addis Fikir
- Temilola Balogun — Baba OH
- Stephen Okonkwo — The Party
- Yednekachew Ayne — Gizat
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
WINNER: Kabelo Thathe — To Kill a Monkey
- 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 — To Kill a Monkey
- Kazeem Agboola — Cordelia
- Omar Guzman Castro — My Father’s Shadow
- Nwanguma Peter Chidebere & Dele Doherty — Landline
- Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi — 3 Cold Dishes
- Winston AIG-Ohioma — Osamede
BEST SOUND / SOUND DESIGN
WINNER: 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
WINNER: 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
WINNER: Ajamolaya Bunmi — Colours of Fire
- Zainab Oladupupo — The Serpent’s Gift
- Omolade Abisola — The Herd
- Olatunji Afolayan & Gideon Stephen — Aljana
- Victor Akpan — Suky
- Thabiso Senne — Inimba
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
WINNER: Valerie Okeke — Colours of Fire
- Mary Chukuma — The Serpent’s Gift
- Deola Art Alade & Darey Art Alade — The Real Housewives of Lagos (S3)
- Yolanda Okereke — Something About The Briggs
- Ikechukwu Urum & John Joseph Angel — To Kill a Monkey
BEST MAKEUP
WINNER: Hakeem Onilogbo (Hakeem Effect) — Warlord
- Mojisola Imam — Behind The Scenes
- Adeola Thelma Bamgboye — Lisabi (A Legend Is Born)
- Diablaq Artistry — Gingerrr
- Adeola Thelma Bamgboye — Abanisete
- Ruth Harcourt — Suky
- Adeola Thelma Bamgboye — Labake Olododo
BEST DOCUMENTARY
WINNER: Shedrack Salami — Beyond Olympic Glory
- Louis Ejiofor — The Good x The Bad of Afrobeat
- Mark Maina & Nick Wambugu — The People Shall
- Huzzain Bello — Not Addressing This Anymore
- Mwaka Gerald Remmy — BOU
BEST SHORT FILM
WINNER: Jessie J. Rowlands — Rise
- Jordy Sank — Fleas
- Fimisinuola Adejonwo — Telephone
- Orire Nwani & Josh Olaoluwa — Hussainin
- Uzoamaka Power — My Body, God’s Temple
BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE FILM — WEST AFRICA
WINNER: Lateef Adedimeji — Lisabi: A Legend Is Born
- Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi — The Serpent’s Gift
- Alice Iyabo Ojo, Olukanmi Abayomi, Aalaba Onaolapo, Kene Okwuosa & Ladun Awobokun — Labake Olododo
- Grace Yachat Yakubu — Aljana
- Abiola Adeshina — Olorisha
BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE FILM — EAST AFRICA
WINNER: Addis Fikir — Leul Shoaferaw
- Kamau Wandug’u, Joe Mahinda & Barbara Njeri Maina — Inside Job
- Omar Hamza & June Wairegi — Sayari
- Isarito Mwakalindile — My Son
- Hassan Mageye — Kimote
BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE FILM — SOUTH AFRICA
WINNER: Tlhaho Ya Mosadi — Naledi Galane, Promise Ramoroka, Ernest Ramoroka & Modipadi Mokgohioa
- Joseph Duke & Keamogetse Modise — Bet I Love You
- African Entertainers — Sebata (The Beast)
- Thabang Mathuumetse & Thapelo Dikhutso — Ben Made It
- Neo Leonardo Mokoena — Terra of Queens and Kuma 2
BEST SCRIPTED M-NET ORIGINAL
WINNER: Femi D. Ogunsanwo — The Low Priest
- Lizz Njagah & Alexandros Konstantaras — Adam to Eve
- Rogba Arimoro & Bio Arimoro — Mother of the Brides
- James Kalu Omokwe — The Yard
- Maurice Muendo — Bobo
BEST UNSCRIPTED M-NET ORIGINAL
WINNER: Nigerian Idol (Season 10) — Sulaiman Kassim & Anneke De Ridder
- Deola Art Alade & Darey Art Alade — The Real Housewives of Lagos (S3)
- Graeme Swanepoel — Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa
- Gbemi and Toolz — Off Air
- Bruk Yibrah — Out N’ About
BEST INDIGENOUS M-NET ORIGINAL
WINNER: Inimba — Siphosethu Tshapu, Thandi Ramathesele & Yolanda Ndhlovu
- David Akande — Kukoyi
- Hatibu Madudu — Undugu
- Bruk Yibrah — Out N’ About (Harar)
- Joel Ndugwa — Kamapala Creme
- Grace Kahaki & Phillippe Bresson — The Chocolate Empire
- Eze Izu — Mgbuka
BEST DIGITAL CONTENT CREATOR
WINNER: Emmanuel Kanaga & Sophia Chisom — Leave To Live
- Elozonam Ogbolu & Genoveva Umeh — Dr Judgina – Situationally Transmitted Delusion
- Destiny Ogie Osarewinda — The Marriage List
- Benedict Ehimare Oriaifo — The Rate Race
- Maryam Apaokagi-Greene (Taaoma) — Luxury Koko
- Steve Chuks — August Meeting Election
- Akwaman — Did I Just Hear Muah
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS
Industry Merit Award: Sola Sobowale & Kanayo O. Kanayo
Trailblazer Award: Uche Montana
