AMVCA 2026 Winners List: My Father’s Shadow Takes Best Movie as Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman Makes History

 

The 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA 2026) concluded in grand style at the Eko Hotel & Suites, delivering a night filled with standout wins, emotional speeches, and historic milestones across African cinema.

The biggest winner of the evening was My Father’s Shadow, which clinched five awards, including the coveted Best Movie title. The film’s continued success follows an impressive international run that has seen it earn recognition at major global platforms.

One of the night’s most talked-about achievements came from Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, who made AMVCA history by winning both Best Lead Actress for The Serpent’s Gift and Best Supporting Actress for The Herd in the same night — a rare double victory that cemented her place in the awards’ history books.

In the acting categories, Uzor Arukwe won Best Lead Actor for Colours of Fire, while Bucci Franklin earned Best Supporting Actor for his performance in To Kill a Monkey. Meanwhile, Lateef Adedimeji took home Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa) for Lisabi: A Legend is Born, dedicating the emotional win to his wife, in a moment that stood out as one of the most heartfelt of the ceremony.

My Father’s Shadow also dominated key categories including Best Movie and Best Director, further solidifying its status as one of the most celebrated African films of the year.

Other major winners across the night included a wide range of productions and creatives across film, television, and digital content, reflecting the growing diversity and strength of African storytelling. From cinematography and costume design to writing and editing, the awards showcased a highly competitive field of talent.

Special honours were also presented, including the Industry Merit Award and Trailblazer Award, recognising long-standing contributions and emerging excellence within the industry.

Overall, AMVCA 12 delivered a memorable celebration of African entertainment, with record-breaking wins, emotional highlights, and a clear message: African cinema continues to rise on both local and global stages.

Here is the complete list of winners from AMVCA 12:

Best Lead Actor

• Lisabi – Lateef Adedimeji
• To Kill a Monkey – William Benson
• Colours of Fire – Uzor Arukwe – WINNER
• 3 Cold Dishes – Wale Ojo
• Red Circle – Femi Branch

Best Lead Actress

• Her Excellency – Sola Sobowale
• The Serpent’s Gift – Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman – WINNER
• Behind the Scenes – Scarlet Gomez
• The Herd – Genoveva Umeh
• Mother of the Brides – Gloria Anozie-Young

Best Supporting Actor

• The Yard – Simileoluwa Hassan
• Gingerrr – Lateef Adedimeji
• Colours Of Fire – Gabriel Afolayan
• To Kill a Monkey – Bucci Franklin – WINNER
• Agesinkole (King Of Thieves) 2 – Femi Adeboye
• Red Circle – Lateef Adedimeji
• Owanbe Thieves – Femi Branch
• Behind the Scenes – Uzor Arukwe

Best Supporting Actress

• The Herd – Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman – WINNER
• Oversabi Aunty – Olamide Kidbaby
• Gingerrr – Bisola Aiyeola
• The Covenant Series – Sola Sobowale
• Aljana – Nadia Dutch
• The Herd – Amal Umar
• MTV Shuga Mashariki – Juliebrenda Nyambura
• Behind the Scenes – Funke Ayotunde Akindele

Best Movie

• Gingerrr – Bisola Aiyeola & Team
• The Herd – Daniel Etim Effiong & Team
• My Father’s Shadow – Funmbi Ogunbanwo and Rachel Dargavel – WINNER
• 3 Cold Dishes – Asurf Oluseyi and Team
• The Serpent’s Gift – Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi
• Behind the Scenes – Funke Akindele and Wendy Imaseun

Best Director

• My Father’s Shadow – Akinola Davies Jr. – WINNER
• Cordelia – Tunde Kelani
• Osamede – James Kalu Omokwe
• The Herd – Daniel Etim Effiong
• Gingerrr – Yemi Filmboy Morafa
• 3 Cold Dishes – Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi

Best Cinematography

• My Father’s Shadow – Jermaine Edwards
• To Kill A Monkey – Kabelo Thathe – WINNER
• The Herd – Emmanuel Igbekele
• Finding Nina – Daanong Gyang
• The Serpent’s Gift – Emmanuel Igbekele
• Stitches – KC Obiajulu
• Gingerrr – Emmanuel Igbekele

Best Costume Design

• The Serpent’s Gift – Mary Chukuma
• The Real Housewives of Lagos (S3) – Deola Art Alade and Darey Art Alade
• Colours of Fire – Valerie Okeke – WINNER
• Something About The Briggs – Yolanda Okereke
• To Kill a Monkey – Ikechukwu Urum & John Joseph Angel

Best Editing

• Cordelia – Kazeem Agboola
• My Father’s Shadow – Omar Guzman Castro
• Landline – Nwanguma Peter Chidebere and Dele Doherty
• 3 Cold Dishes – Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi
• Osamede – Winston AIG-Ohioma
• To Kill a Monkey – Daniel Anyiam – WINNER

Best Writing (Movie)

• The Herd – Lani Aisida
• My Father’s Shadow – Wale Davies – WINNER
• Blackout – Ikenna Okpara
• Cards on the Table – Shirleen Wangari
• Gingerrr – Xavier Ighorodje
• Suky – Isaac Ayodeji
• 3 Cold Dishes – Tomi Adesina

Best Art Direction

• The Serpent’s Gift – Zainab Oladupupo
• The Herd – Omolade Abisola
• Colours of Fire – Ajamolaya Bunmi – WINNER
• Aljana – Olatunji Afolayan and Gideon Stephen
• Suky – Victor Akpan
• Inimba – Thabiso Senne

Special Awards

• Trailblazer Award: Uche Montana

• Industry Merit Award: Sola Sobowale and Kanayo O. Kanayo

Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa)

• The Serpent’s Gift – Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi
• Labake Olododo – Iyabo Ojo & Team
• Aljana – Grace Yachat Yakubu
• Olorisha – Abiola Adeshina
• Lisabi: A Legend is Born – Lateef Adedimeji – WINNER

Best Digital Content Creator

• Luxury Koko – Maryam Apaokagi-Greene (Taaooma)
• The Marriage List – Destiny Ogie Osarewinda
• The Rate Race – Benedict Ehimare Oriaifo
• August Meeting Election – Steve Chuks
• Did I Just Hear Muah – Akwaman
• Leave To Live – Emmanuel Kanaga and Sophia Chisom – WINNER

Best Scripted M-Net Original

• Adam To Eve – Lizz Njagah & Alexandros Konstantaras
• Mother of the Brides – Rogba Arimoro and Bio Arimoro
• The Yard – James Kalu Omokwe
• Bobo – Maurice Muendo
• The Low Priest – Femi D. Ogunsanwo – WINNER

Best Indigenous M-Net Original

• Kukoyi – David Akande
• Undugu – Hatibu Madudu
• Out N’ About (Harar) – Bruk Yibrah
• Kampala Creme – Joel Ndugwa
• The Chocolate Empire – Grace Kahaki and Phillippe Bresson
• Mgbuka – Eze Izu
• Inimba – Siphosethu Tshapu, Thandi Ramathesele and Yolanda Ndhlovu – WINNER

Best Unscripted M-Net Original

• The Real Housewives of Lagos (S3) – Deola Art Alade & Darey Art Alade
• Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa – Graeme Swanepoel
• Off Air – Gbemi & Toolz
• Out N’ About – Bruk Yibrah
• Nigerian Idol (S10) – Sulaiman Kassim & Anneke De Ridder – WINNER

Best Scripted Series

• To Kill a Monkey – Kemi Adetiba
• The Yard – James Kalu Omokwe
• The Chocolate Empire – Grace Kahaki and Philippe Bresson
• Kash Money – Grace Khaki & Phillipe Benson
• Inimba – Siphosethu Tshapu, Thandi Ramathesele and Yolanda Ndhlovu – WINNER

Best Documentary

• Beyond Olympic Glory – Shedrack Salami
• The Good x The Bad of Afrobeat – Louis Ejiofor
• The People Shall – Mark Maina & Nick Wambugu
• Beyond Olympic Glory – Shedrack Salami – WINNER

Best Short Film

• Rise – Jessie J. Rowlands
• Fleas – Jordy Sank
• Telephone – Fimisinuola Adejonwo
• My Body, God’s Temple – Uzoamaka Power
• Hussainin – Orire Nwani and Josh Olaoluwa – WINNER

Best Makeup

• Behind The Scenes – Mojisola Imam
• Lisabi (A Legend Is Born) – Adeola Thelma Bamgboye
• Gingerrr – Diablaq Artistry
• Abanisete – Adeola Thelma Bamgboye
• Suky – Ruth Harcourt
• Labake Olododo – Adeola Thelma Bamgboye
• Warlord – Hakeem Onilogbo (Hakeem Effect) – WINNER