AMVCA 2026: Kenya Lands 12 Nominations in Nigeria

The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) announced nominees for its 12th edition on 29 March in Lagos, Nigeria, with Kenya securing 12 nominations across films and TV shows. The 2026 edition features 32 categories, comprising 18 jury-voting categories, 11 public-voting categories, and 3 special recognition awards, including Lifetime Achievement and Trailblazer honours.

This comes just days after the unveiling of the Kalasha International Film and TV Awards nominees — Kenya’s national awards recognising excellence in film and television.

While East and Southern Africa have been represented in previous editions, the AMVCA 2026 introduces two new categories — Best Indigenous Language – North Africa and Best Indigenous Language – Central Africa — aimed at making the awards more inclusive as it expands its pan-African scope, according to MultiChoice, which organises the awards. Overall, the AMVCA still remains predominantly Nigeria-focused, with Nollywood continuing to dominate key categories, including acting and technical awards.

This year, Kenya makes a rare appearance in the acting category with Julie Brenda Nyambura scoring a nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the young adult drama MTV Shuga Mashariki. A tough category, Nyambura is nominated alongside Nollywood heavyweights such as Sola Sobowale, Funke Akindele and Linda Ejiofor.

The most nominated Kenyan title at the AMVCA, MTV Shuga Mashariki is also competing for Best Writing in a TV Series and Best Score. The series, currently airing its second season, returned to Kenya in 2025 after a 15-year hiatus.

The Chocolate Empire (Showmax) and Kash Money (Netflix), both produced by Insignia Productions, are going against each other in the Best Scripted Series category alongside Nigeria’s To Kill a Monkey and The Yard, and South Africa’s Inimba. The Chocolate Empire is also nominated for Best Indigenous M-Net Original.

Other Kenyan nominees include The People Shall for Best Documentary; Sayari and Inside Job for Best Indigenous Language Film (East Africa); Cards on the Table for Best Writing in a Movie; and Adam to Eve and Bobo for Best Scripted M-Net Original.

Also nominated from East Africa are Uganda’s Oscars 2026 entry Kimote, Tanzania’s My Son and Ethiopia’s Addis Fikir for Best Indigenous Language Film (East Africa); Ugandan documentary BOU; and reality series Undugu (Tanzania) and Kampala Creme (Uganda).

Voting is now open until 26 April 2026 via the Africa Magic website. Non-voting categories will be decided by the AMVCA jury, led by the newly appointed Head Judge Joke Silva.

Winners will be announced at the main ceremony on 9 May 2026, which will be broadcast live across Africa Magic channels.

See the full list of AMVCA 2026 nominees below.

BEST OVERALL MOVIE

• Gingerrr
• The Herd
• My Father’’s Shadow
• 3 Cold Dishes
• The Serpent’s Gift
• Behind the Scenes

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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

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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
• Wale Ojo — 3 Cold Dishes
• Femi Branch — Red Circle

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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 — BTS
• Genoveva Umeh — The Herd
• Gloria Anozie Young — Mother Of The Brides

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Simileoluwa Hassan — The Yard
• Lateef Adedimeji — Gingerr
• 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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BEST SCORE/MUSIC

• 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

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BEST ART DIRECTION

• Zainab Oladipupo — The Serpent’s Gift
• Omolade Abisola — The Herd
• Ajamolaya Bunmi — Colours Of Fire
• Olatunji Afolayan, Gideon O. Stephen — Aljana
• Victor Akpan — Suky
• Thabiso Senne — Inimba

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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

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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

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BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE FILM (WEST AFRICA)

• The Serpent’s Gift
• Lisabi: A Legend Is Born
• Labake Olododo
• Olorisha
• Aljana

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BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE FILM (EAST AFRICA)

• Sayari
• Inside Job
• Addis Fikir
• My Son
• Kimote

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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

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BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE FILM (NORTH AFRICA)

• The Omnipresent
• The Delivery
• The Hidden Voice
• This Is Portsaid
• Artal Alhanin: Our Memories

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BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE FILM (CENTRAL AFRICA)

• Mabanda
• Safou: A Gift From Nature
• Golden Spoon

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BEST DOCUMENTARY

• Beyond Olympic Glory
• The Good, The Bad of Afrobeat
• The People Shall
• Not Addressing this Anymore
• BOU

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BEST SHORT FILM

• Fleas
• Telephone
• Hussaini
• My Body, God’s Temple
• Rise

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BEST SCRIPTED M-NET ORIGINAL

• Adam to Eve
• Mother of the Brides
• The Yard
• The Low Priest
• Bobo

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BEST UNSCRIPTED M-NET ORIGINAL

• Nigerian Idol S10
• The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa
• Chapa Chapa My Love
• Out N About (Harar)
• Undugu

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BEST INDIGENOUS M-NET ORIGINAL

• Inimba
• Kukoyi
• Undugu
• Kampala Creme S2
• The Chocolate Empire
• Mgbuka

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BEST SCRIPTED SERIES

• To Kill A Monkey
• The Yard
• The Chocolate Empire
• Inimba
• Kash Money

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BEST UNSCRIPTED SERIES

• The Real Housewives Of Lagos S3
• Nigerian Idol S10
• The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa
• Offair With Gbemi And Toolz
• Out N About (Harar)

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BEST WRITING TV SERIES

• The Wives – Donald Tombia, Timendu Aghahowa, Chiemeka Osuagwu
• MTV Shuga Masahariki – Annette Shadeya, Natasah Likimani, Mkamzee Mwatela, Arnold Mwanjila, Makagano Mamabolo
• Our Husband – Xavier Ighorodje
• Addis Fikir – Besufekade Mulu
• Baba OH – Temilola Balogun
• The Party – Steohen Okonkwo
• Gizat – Yednekachew Ayne

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BEST DIGITAL CONTENT CREATOR

• Elozonam Ogbolu, Genoveva Umeh
• Destiny Ogie Osarewinda
• Emmanuel Kanaga, Sophia Chisom
• Taaooma
• Steve Chuks
• Akwaman

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