AMVCA 2026: The herd, gingerrr lead with 9 nominations

The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) has released the full list of nominees for its 12th edition, with popular films The Herd and Gingerrr emerging as the biggest contenders, each securing nine nominations.

The awards ceremony, organised by MultiChoice through Africa Magic, is scheduled to be held in Lagos on May 9, 2026, bringing together leading figures across Africa’s film and television industry.

This year’s edition features 32 categories in total, including 18 jury-decided awards, 11 viewer-voted categories, and three special recognition awards.

The Herd, a Nigerian crime thriller directed by Daniel Etim-Effiong, received nominations across major categories such as Best Movie, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, and several technical sections.

Similarly, Gingerrr, a Nigerian action-comedy film, also earned nine nominations, including Best Movie, Best Supporting Actress, Best Writing, and multiple technical awards, highlighting its strong reception within the industry.

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Other notable nominees include My Father’s Shadow, To Kill A Monkey, and The Serpent’s Gift, which also secured multiple nods across acting, directing, and technical categories.

The major categories highlight strong competition across african film industry

The Best Lead Actor category features prominent names such as Lateef Adedimeji for Lisabi: A Legend Is Born, William Benson for To Kill A Monkey, and Kanayo O. Kanayo for Grandpa Must Obey, among others.

In Best Lead Actress, nominees include Linda Ejiofor for The Serpent’s Gift, Bimbo Akintola for To Kill A Monkey, and Sola Sobowale for Her Excellency, reflecting a competitive field in this year’s selection.

Technical categories also saw strong representation from both films, with The Herd and Gingerrr appearing in areas such as cinematography, sound design, music score, costume design, and editing.

The Best Movie category includes Gingerrr, The Herd, My Father’s Shadow, 3 Cold Dishes, The Serpent’s Gift, and Behind The Scenes, all competing for the top prize.

Organisers say the nomination list reflects the growing quality and diversity of African storytelling, with entries spanning multiple languages, regions, and production styles.

Voting categories remain open to the public, while jury categories will be decided by the official AMVCA panel ahead of the awards night.

The ceremony is expected to attract major stars, filmmakers, and industry stakeholders from across the continent as anticipation builds for one of Africa’s biggest entertainment events.