The 2026 AMVCAs winners are in, and they reflect the diverse range of exceptional talent emerging from Africa. 

The 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards have officially wrapped, and AMVCA 2026 delivered the excitement and spectacle of the entertainment industry that fans have come to expect.

Across four days in Lagos, the event brought together some of the biggest names in African film and television. The celebration delivered standout fashion, emotional speeches, major wins, and unforgettable moments that instantly sparked conversation online.

Going into the night, films like “Gingerrr,” “The Herd,” “The Serpent’s Gift,” and “To Kill A Monkey” dominated the conversation thanks to their impressive nomination counts. But as every AMVCA viewer knows, nominations only set the stage. The real thrill begins when those envelopes start opening, and the winning names/movies are announced.

This year’s ceremony also carried added significance, marking the first edition with veteran actress Joke Silva serving as Head Judge. This year’s ceremony also emphasised pan-African growth, with the introduction of two new categories recognising indigenous language films from North and Central Africa.

Here’s the full list of AMVCA 2026 winners — and the standout moments from the night that we’re still thinking about.

Read also: Women are taking centre stage at AMVCA 2026 — and for all the right reasons 

Moments we loved at AMVCA 2026 

Beyond the wins, AMVCA 2026 gave us plenty of moments that made the night memorable. These were some of the standout highlights we loved most.

Linda Ejiofor’s double-win moment

One of AMVCA 2026’s standout moments was Linda Ejiofor taking home both Best Lead Actress and Best Supporting Actress. The double win was one of the night’s biggest surprises and easily one of its most deserved moments.

It was a fitting reward for an actress whose consistency and range have made her one of Nollywood’s most reliable performers.

Lateef Adedimeji’s heartfelt tribute to Adebimpe

One of the night’s most touching moments came when Lateef Adedimeji accepted Lisabi’s award for Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa). The actor dedicated the win to his wife, Adebimpe Adedimeji, who was unavoidably absent after recently welcoming their triplets. It was heartfelt and easily one of AMVCA 2026’s sweetest moments.

Uche Montana’s trailblazer moment

Another standout highlight from AMVCA 2026 was Uche Montana receiving the Special Trailblazer Award. The honour recognised her rapid rise and growing impact within Nollywood, cementing her place as one of the industry’s most exciting talents to watch.

Tiwa Savage lit up the AMVCA stage

 

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Tiwa Savage delivered one of AMVCA 2026’s standout performances. The singer commanded the stage with a medley of her biggest hits, holding the room’s attention from start to finish.

Sola Sobowale’s well-deserved honour

AMVCA 2026 gave one of its biggest flowers to Sola Sobowale, who received the Industry Merit Award for her outstanding contributions to African film and television.

Over the decades, Sobowale has delivered performances that leave a lasting mark, building a legacy defined by excellence, range, and an undeniable screen presence. It was a moment that felt both celebratory and long overdue.

Read also: All the 2025 AMVCA winners — here’s who took home the awards!

See the full list of winners

Best digital content creator

Elozonam Ogbolu, Genoveva Umeh

Destiny Ogie Osarewinda

Emmanuel Kanaga, Sophia Chisom — Winner

Benedict Ehimare Oriaifo

Taaooma

Steve Chuks

Akwaman

Best short film

“Fleas” – Jordy Sank

“Telephone” – Fimisinuola Adejonwo

“Hussaini” – Oreore Nwani, Josh Olaoluwa — Winner

“My Body, God’s Temple” – Uzoamaka Power

“Rise” – Praise Adejo

Best scripted M-Net original

“Adam to Eve”

“Mother of The Brides”

“The Yard”

“The Low Priest” — Winner

“Bobo”

Best unscripted M-Net original

Nigerian Idol S10 — Winner

Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa

“Chapa Chapa My Love”

“Out N About” (Harar) — Winner

“Undugu”

Best indigenous M-Net original

“Inimba” — Winner

“Kukoyi”

“Undugu”

“Kampala Creme” S2

“The Chocolate Empire”

“Mgbuka”

Best indigenous language (West Africa)

“The Serpent’s Gift”

“Lisabi: A Legend Is Born” — Winner

“Labake Olododo”

“Olorisha”

“Aljana”

Best indigenous language (East Africa)

“Inside Job”

“Sayari”

“Addis Fikir” — Winner

“My Son”

“Kimote”

Best indigenous language (Southern Africa)

“Bet I Love You”

“Sebata: The Beast”

“Ben Made It”

“Terra Of Queens And Kuma 2”

“Tlhaho Ya Mosadi” — Winner

Read also: Women are taking centre stage at AMVCA 2026 — and for all the right reasons   

Best indigenous language (North Africa)

“The Omnipresent”

“The Delivery”

“The Hidden Voice”

“This Is Portsaid”

“Artal Alhanin: Our Memories” — Winner

Best indigenous language (Central Africa)

“Mabanda” — Winner

“Safou: A Gift From Nature”

“Golden Spoon”

Best supporting actor

Simileoluwa Hassan — “The Yard”

Lateef Adedimeji — “Gingerrr”

Gabriel Afolayan — “Colours Of Fire”

Bucci Franklin — “To Kill A Monkey” — Winner

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” — Winner

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 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” — Winner

Wale Ojo — “3 Cold Dishes”

Femi Branch — “Red Circle”

Best lead actress

Linda Ejiofor — “The Serpent’s Gift” — Winner

Bimbo Akintola — “TKAM”

Ifeoma Fafunwa — “The Lost Days”

Ariyike Owolagba — “Something About The Briggs”

Sola Sobowale — “Her Excellency”

Scarlet Gomez — “BTS”

Genoveva Umeh — “The Herd”

Gloria Anozie-Young — “Mother Of The Brides”

Best art direction

Zainab Oladipupo — “The Serpent’s Gift”

Omolade Abisola — “The Herd”

Ajamolaya Bunmi — “Colours Of Fire” — Winner

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” — Winner

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” — Winner

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” — Winner

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” — Winner

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” — Winner

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” — Winner

Best writing (movie)

Lani Aisida — “The Herd”

Wale Davies — “My Father’s Shadow” — Winner

Ikenna Okpara — “Blackout”

Shirleen Wangari — “Cards On The Table”

Xavier Ighorodje — “Gingerrr”

Isaac Ayodeji — “Suky”

Tomi Adesina — “3 Cold Dishes”

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” — Winner

Xavier Ighorodje — “Our Husband”

Besufekade Mulu — “Addis Fikir”

Temilola Balogun — “Baba Oh”

Stephen Okonkwo — “The Party”

Yednekachew Ayne — “Gizat”

Best Series (Unscripted)

The Real Housewives Of Lagos S3 – Deola Art Alade and Darey Art Alade

Nigerian Idol S10 –

Suleiman Kassim and Anneke De Ridder

Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa – Graeme Swanepoel and Jemma Ford

Offair With Gbemi And Toolz – Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi and Toolz Oniru-Demuren

Out N’ About (Harar) – Bruk Yibrah — Winner

Best documentary

“Beyond Olympic Glory” — Winner

“The Good, The Bad of Afrobeat”

“The People Shall”

“Not Addressing This Anymore”

“BOU”

Best director

Akinola Davies Jr — “My Father’s Shadow” — Winner

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” — Winner

“3 Cold Dishes”

“The Serpent’s Gift”

“Behind The Scenes”

Read more: Entertainment in Africa is more ambitious and global than ever, and it’s because these women

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