AMVCA 2026 winners at Eko Hotels and Suites Lagos

By the time the lights dimmed inside Eko Hotels & Suites on May 9, one thing was already clear, the 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards was never going to be remembered as just another award night.

This year’s ceremony felt bigger. More emotional. More defining.

For the first time in over a decade, longtime host IK Osakioduwa officially passed the baton, as Bovi Ugboma and Nomzamo Mbatha took over hosting duties and guided viewers through one of the most memorable AMVCA nights Nollywood has seen in years.

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But the real stars of the night were the films, the performances, and the moments nobody saw coming.

At the center of it all stood My Father’s Shadow, the film that has quietly transformed from a critical darling into a global powerhouse. After impressive victories at Cannes, the BAFTA Awards, and the Gotham Awards, the film completed another massive chapter by winning Best Movie at the AMVCA. The project also picked up multiple awards throughout the night, further cementing its place as one of the most celebrated African films of the year.

Still, even with all the excitement surrounding My Father’s Shadow, the loudest moment of the evening belonged to Linda Ejiofor.

And honestly, rightfully so.

Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman walked into the ceremony as a respected actress. She left as part of AMVCA history.

The actress became one of the very few performers ever to achieve a Lead Actress and Supporting Actress double win in the same year. She claimed Best Lead Actress for The Serpent’s Gift and Best Supporting Actress for The Herd, defeating a lineup packed with some of Nollywood’s strongest performers.

What made the achievement even more impressive was how different both performances were.

The Herd demanded intensity, social commentary, and emotional unpredictability. The Serpent’s Gift leaned heavily into betrayal, survival, and psychological tension. Two completely different emotional worlds, one actress controlling both with stunning confidence.

It was the kind of achievement that shifts conversations permanently.

Elsewhere, Uzor Arukwe won Best Lead Actor for Colours of Fire, delivering another major career milestone for the actor whose consistency has become impossible to ignore. Bucci Franklin took home Best Supporting Actor for To Kill A Monkey, giving one of the night’s most emotional acceptance speeches.

One of the warmest moments of the night came from Lateef Adedimeji, who dedicated his Best Indigenous Language Film win for Lisabi: A Legend Is Born to his wife, Adebimpe Oyebade, popularly known as Mo Bimpe, just days after the couple announced the birth of their triplets.

The ceremony also celebrated veterans and rising stars alike. Sola Sobowale and Kanayo O. Kanayo received Industry Merit Awards, while Uche Montana picked up the Trailblazer Award, signaling what many believe is only the beginning of a much bigger career.

More than anything, AMVCA 2026 felt like proof that Nollywood is evolving in real time.

The storytelling is getting sharper. The technical quality is getting stronger. African films are no longer asking for global attention, they are commanding it.

And on a night filled with glamour, standing ovations, tears, and unforgettable speeches, Nollywood reminded everyone watching exactly why the world is finally paying attention.

Here’s the AMVCA 2026 winners list the way the night actually felt, emotional, dramatic, and completely unforgettable:

The Film That Conquered the Night

My Father’s Shadow
Best Movie
Best Director, Akinola Davies Jr.
Best Writing
One of the biggest African film runs in recent memory continued at AMVCA 12. After dominating conversations globally, My Father’s Shadow arrived in Lagos and completed the mission.

The Woman Who Made History

Linda Ejiofor
Best Lead Actress, The Serpent’s Gift
Best Supporting Actress, The Herd

Two acting awards. Same night. Different films. Different emotional ranges. AMVCA history officially has a new chapter now.

Performances Everybody Will Still Be Talking About

Uzor Arukwe
Best Lead Actor for Colours of Fire

Bucci Franklin
Best Supporting Actor for To Kill A Monkey

Both performances carried serious emotional weight all season, and the awards only confirmed what viewers already knew.

The Emotional Family Moment of the Night

Lateef Adedimeji
Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa) for Lisabi: A Legend Is Born

His dedication to wife Adebimpe Oyebade, popularly known as Mo Bimpe, became one of the sweetest moments of the ceremony, especially coming just days after the couple announced the birth of their triplets.

The Technical Winners That Elevated African Cinema

 Best Cinematography
To Kill A Monkey

 Best Editing
To Kill A Monkey

 Best Costume Design
Colours of Fire

 Best Art Direction
Colours of Fire

The visual storytelling categories this year proved one thing clearly, Nollywood productions are becoming more ambitious, more polished, and more cinematic every single year.

Streaming And TV Winners That Dominated Screens

 Best Scripted Series
Inimba

Best Scripted M Net Original
The Low Priest

Best Unscripted M Net Original
Nigerian Idol Season 10

Digital and television storytelling had a huge presence this year, proving audiences are no longer consuming entertainment from just one screen anymore.

The Creators and New Generation Stars Rising Fast

Trailblazer Award
Uche Montana

 Best Digital Content Creator
Leave To Live

The AMVCA stage once again reminded everybody that the next generation of African storytelling is already here and they are not waiting for permission anymore.

Legends Who Received Their Flowers

Industry Merit Award
Sola Sobowale
Kanayo O. Kanayo

Some ovations feel different. This was one of them.

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