2026 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards

The 12th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards was held on 9 May 2026 at the Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos, Nigeria. Honouring the best in African film and TV, the award features 32 categories (18 jury-decided and 11 public-voted) and two new categories for North and Central African indigenous language films. The ceremony was televised by DStv and GOtv across all Africa Magic Channels and hosted by Bovi and Nomzamo Mbatha. The awards were sponsored by Don Julio.

12th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards
The Logo of African Magic
Date	9 May 2026 (2026-05-09)
Hosted by	Bovi & Nomzamo Mbatha
Organized by	Africa Magic
Highlights
Best Film	My Father’s Shadow
Best Direction	Akinola Davies Jr My Father’s Shadow
Best Actor	Uzor Arukwe Colours of Fire
Best Actress	Linda Ejiofor The Serpent’s Gift

Nominees and winners

Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.

Best Overall Movie	Best Director
My Father's Shadow Gingerrr The Herd 3 Cold Dishes The Serpent's Gift Behind The Scenes	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
Best Lead Actor	Best Lead Actress
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	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	Best Supporting Actress
Bucci Franklin – To Kill A Monkey Simileoluwa Hassan – The Yard Lateef Adedimeji – Gingerrr Gabriel Afolayan – Colours Of Fire Femi Adebayo – King Of Thieves 2 Lateef Adedimeji – Red Circle Femi Branch – Owambe Thieves Uzor Arukwe – Behind The Scenes	Linda Ejiofor – The Herd 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 Indigenous Language Film (West Africa)	Best Indigenous Language Film (East Africa)
Lisabi: A Legend Is Born The Serpent's Gift Labake Olododo Olorisha Aljana	Addis Fikir Inside Job Sayari My Son Kimote
Best Indigenous Language Film (South Africa)	Best Indigenous Language Film (North Africa)
Tlhaho Ya Mosadi Bet I Love You Sebata: The Beast Ben Made It Terra Of Queens And Kuma 2	Artal Alhanin: Our Memories The Omnipresent The Delivery The Hidden Voice This Is Portsaid
Best Indigenous Language Film (Central Africa)	Best Short Film
Mabanda Safou: A Gift From Nature Golden Spoon	Hussaini Fleas Rise Telephone My Body, God's Temple
Best Writing in a Movie	Best Documentary
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	Beyond Olympic Glory The Good, The Bad of Afrobeat The People Shall Not Addressing This Anymore BOU
Best Cinematography	Best Editing
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 Emmanuel Igbekele – Gingerrr	Daniel Anyiam – To Kill A Monkey 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
Best Sound Design	Best Music Score
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	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	Best Makeup
Ajamolaya Bunmi – Colours Of Fire Zainab Oladipupo – The Serpent's Gift Omolade Abisola – The Herd Olatunji Afolayan, Gideon Stephen – Aljana Victor Akpan – Suky Thabiso Senne – Inimba	Hakeem Effect – Warlord Mojisola Imam – Behind The Scenes Adeola Bamgboye – Lisabi: A Legend Is Born Dablaq Artistry – Gingerrr Adeola Bamgboye – Abanisete Ruth Harcourt – Suky Adeola Bamgboye – Labake Olododo
Best Art Direction	Best Music Score
Ajamolaya Bunmi – Colours Of Fire Zainab Oladipupo – The Serpent's Gift Omolade Abisola – The Herd Olatunji Afolayan, Gideon Stephen – Aljana Victor Akpan – Suky Thabiso Senne – Inimba	Hakeem Effect – Warlord Mojisola Imam – Behind The Scenes Adeola Bamgboye – Lisabi: A Legend Is Born Dablaq Artistry – Gingerrr Adeola Bamgboye – Abanisete Ruth Harcourt – Suky Adeola Bamgboye – Labake Olododo
Best Scripted Series	Best Unscripted M-Net Original
Inimba To Kill A Monkey The Yard The Chocolate Empire Kash Money	Nigerian Idol (S10) The Real Housewives Of Lagos Season 3 Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa Offair With Gbemi And Toolz Out N' About (Harar)
Best Writing TV Series	Best Scripted M-Net Original
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	The Low Priest – Femi D. Ogunsanwo Adam to Eve – Lizz Njagah and Alexandros Konstantaras Mother of the Brides – Rogba Arimoro and Bio Arimoro The Yard – James Kalu Omokwe Bobo – Maurice Muendo
Best Indigenous M-Net Original	Best Digital Content Creator
Inimba Kukoyi Undugu Out N' About (Harar) Kampala Creme The Chocolate Empire Mgbuka	Emmanuel Kanaga, Sophia Chisom Elozonam Ogbolu, Genoveva Umeh Akwaman Destiny Ogie Osarewinda Benedict Ehimare Oriaifo Taaooma Steve Chuks

Other awards

• Trailblazer Award – Uche Montana
• Industry Merit Award – Sola Sobowale & Kanayo O. Kanayo