The Africa Film Academy (AFA), the organisers of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), have announced the nominees ahead of the 22nd edition.
The nomination list was unveiled on Saturday, October 17, in a gathering of stakeholders and African film practitioners at Radisson Blu, Ikeja GRA.
The Chief Operating Officer of AMAA, Dr Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe announced that the 22nd edition of the continental film awards ceremony will be held on November 15.
Dr Anyiam-Osigwe expressed felicitations to nominaees and noted that even if they don’t win the prize, they are already winners for getting nominated.
In his words, “These selections highlight diverse storytelling, bridging gaps across sub-regions (West, East, North, and Southern Africa) and beyond. To every writer, director, actor, creative whose work has been recognized today—congratulations. Your nomination is not just an acknowledgment of your hard work; it is a testament to your role as a guardian of the Africa’s rich narrative.”
Anyiam-Osigwe further noted that AMAA has become more than just an awards platform but a mirror reflecting Africa’s shared struggles, triumphs and diverse cultures.
He said, “For over two decades, AMAA has been more than just an awards platform. It has been a mirror reflecting our shared struggles, our triumphs, our diverse cultures, and the fact that Africa is indeed a centre of creative excellence. The films nominated this year remind us that African stories are global stories, possessing the power to captivate, challenge, and inspire audiences anywhere in the world.
“Behind every nomination announced today is a vision that refused to be silenced, a team that tested their will to succeed and pushed through boundaries, and a story that demanded to be told.
“You have raised the bar for African cinema, and for that, the entire continent applauds you. As we look forward to the AMAA 2026 to be held on November 15 at The Marriott Lagos, let us remember that whether you take home a trophy or not on the day, your creativity has already won. You are shaping the future of African storytelling.”
At the unveiling were members of the jury led by the Head of the college of screeners, Dr Shaibu Husseini and Hon Steve Ayorinde. Other attendees include Victor Oswuagu, Alex O, Kingsley Omoefe, Big Tony, Lancelot Imasuen, Sola Fosudo, Ruth Jacobs, Tony Akposhere, Lord Frank, and Justice Adigogo.
The 2026 AMAA nomination saw Uganda’s ‘Slum Bomber’ and Kenya’s ‘One Woman, One Bra’ lead the list with 14 nominations each. The two films are closely followed by Nollywood’s ‘To Adaego With Love’, which secured 11.
Following closely is Daniel Etim-Effiong’s ‘The Herd’ with 10 nods and ‘Colours of Fire’ with nine nominations.
Nigerian film stars including Daniel Etim-Effiong, Osas Ighodaro, Toyin Abraham, Omowunmi Dada, Uzor Arukwe and Wale Ojo got nominations in different categories.
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Etim-Effiong stood out with three nominations in categories including ‘Best Director’, ‘Best Debut Feature’ and ‘Best Actor in a Leading Role’, while Osas Ikponyon was nominated for ‘Best Young/Promising Actor’ for her role in ‘Evi’.
For the ‘Best Film’ category, nine entries from six African countries will compete, including Nigeria’s ‘To Adaego With Love’ and ‘The Herd’, South Africa’s ‘The Trek’ and ‘Ben Made It’, and Ghana’s ‘The Fisherman’.
The full nomination
1. EFERE OZAKO AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
The Last Miracle – Egypt/Germany/Sudan
Demm – Senegal/Switzerland
Taxi Moto – Rwanda/Switzerland
Hurriyah – Nigeria
Ashes of Accra – Ghana
The Spectacular Death of Prisca – Nig/USA
The Man, The Cliff and The Dog – SA
A Night With The Queen – Nig/UK
God Sleeps On Sundays – Zimbabwe
Emanya – Namibia
2. JUBRIL MALAFIA AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION
The Plot – Nig/UK
Ananse And The Divine Journey – Ghana/USA
Sundrud – Mali/France/Belgium/Iceland
Ana Fein W Geit Menein – Egypt
The Lion of Gwoza – Nig
The Shadow of A Griot (L’ombre D’un Griot) – Cote D’Ivoire
3. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
Truck Mama – Kenya
The Greatest Soul on Earth – South Africa
Djeliya, Memory of Mandingo – Burkina
Faso Fosta – South Africa
Asaba Massacre: October 7, 1967 – Nigeria
Chicken Ghetto – Uganda
The Rhythm of Ancestors -Yoruba Bata – Nigeria
Ekitiibwa ky’olubuyo – Uganda
4. OUSMANE SEMBENE AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE
Slum Bomber – Uganda
Iwé àlá: An Ojúde Oba Story – Nigeria
Mabanda- Cameroun
One Woman, One Bra – Kenya
Ben Made It – South Africa
Efunroye: The Unicorn – Nigeria
5. MICHAEL ANYIAM OSIGWE AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD
Hanami – A Tribe Called Love
The Man Who Never Was Boys Wear Pink Too
6. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA SHORT
Till Death -USA
Jamarcus Rose & Da 5 Bullet Holes – USA
The Things We Carry -USA
River Mama -USA
Cross Roads – USA
7. AMAA 2024 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY
Nashville Soul -USA
Reverence: Reclaiming The Forgotten -USA
Sisters in Destiny: Angela Davis & Gerty Archiméde -Guadelope Stolen -USA
8. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA NARRATIVE FEATURE
A Tribe Called Love
Montmartre
Heirloom
9. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN
To Adaugo With love
Slum Bomber
The Herd
Lights Out
Colours of Fire
One Woman, One Bra
Cordelia The Creek
10. AMAA 2026 ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
The Fisherman
One Woman, One Bra
Iwé àlá: An Ojúde Oba Story
Idia
To Adaego with Love
The Trek
11. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP
Efunroye :The Unicorn
Colours of Fire
Slum Bomber
Mabanda
The Herd Suky
12. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK
Slum Bomber
To Adaego with Love
Black Burns Fast
Evi
Idia
One Woman, One Bra
13. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT
The Creek
Colours of Fire
The Fisherman
Suky
The Herd
14. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND
Trek
Suky
To Adaego with Love
Colours of fire
Slum Bomber
The Color of Exile
Black Burns Fast
One Woman, One Bra
15. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Trek
The Color of Exile
One Woman, One Bra
Slum Bomber
Hanami
Cordelia
Ben Made It
16. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING
The Color of Exile
Slum Bomber
Ben Made It
The Trek
Suky
Evi
One Woman, One Bra
17. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREEN PLAY
To Adaego with Love
Slum Bomber
The Color of Exile
One Woman, One Bra
Onobiren: A woman’s story
The Herd
Ben Made It
18. AMAA 2026- NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO CENSORS BOARD (NFVCB) AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM
Iwé àlá: An Ojúde Oba Story
To Adaego with love
Colours of Fire
Suky
Efunroye:The Unicorn
The Herd
Cordelia
The Creek
Oversabi Auntie
19. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR
Muntaha Mohammed – A Tribe Called Love
Abdou AzIz Dabak Salis – The Color of Exile
James Solomon Damilare – Suky
Osas Okonyon- Evi
Dailma Mendes – Hanami
Leah Lindeque – The Trek
Onyinye Odokoro – Oblation
Ocen Daniel – Slum Bomber
Azania Thella – Ben Made It
Gbubemi Ejiye – Idia
20. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Amos Leuka – One Woman, One Bra
Dele Odule – Iwé àlá: An Ojúde Oba Story
Samuel Kabugo – Slum Bomber
Femi Branch – Colors of Fire
Bucci Franklin – The Creek
Bob Manuel Udokwu – To Adaego With Love
Maurice Carpede – The Trek
21. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Norng’aruani Kipuker- One Woman, One Bra
Precious Nana – Mabanda
Linda Ejiofor – The Herd
Mercy Aigbe – Colours of Fire
Zahra Elhawawi- The Color of Exile
Omowunmi Dada -Evi
Phumzile Kubheka – Ben Made It
Patience Ozokwo – Onobiren: A woman’s story
22. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Maurice Carpede – The Trek
Wale Ojo – Lights Out
Daniel Etim-Effiong – The Herd
Ricky Adelayitar – The Fisherman
Uzor Arukwe- Colours of Fire
Marcus Mabusela – Ben Made It
Abdoulaziz Sall – The Colors of Exile
Kang Quintus – Mabanda
23. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Chisom Agoawuike – To Adaego with Love
Sarah Karel- One Woman, One Bra
Deborah Kabongo – Rusambo
Faithia Balogun – Efunroye: The Unicorn
Jackline Nafula- Slum Bomber
Osas Ighodaro- Colours of Fire
Naku Sy Savane – The Color of Exile
Toyin Abraham – Oversabi Auntie
24. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR
Daniel Etim-Effiong – The Herd
Maureen Jolly Nankya- Slum Bomber
Vincho Nchongu – One Woman, One Bra
Meekaaeel Adam- The Trek
Zoey Martinson – The Fisherman
Angela Zivo Gapa – Rusambo
Pheello Makosholo – Ben Made It
Nwamaka Chikezie – To Adaego With Love
Mohamed Ahmed – A Tribe Called Love
Chinazaekpere Chukwu – Her Mothers Daughter
25. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
Maakaaeel Adam – The Trek – South Africa
Nwamaka Chikezie- To Adaego With Love Nigeria
Azlorabe Alaoui – The Color of Exile- Cote D’Voire
Mauren Nankya- Slum Bomber – Uganda
Vincho Nchongu – One Woman, One Bra -Kenya
Daniel Etim-Effiong – The Herd- Nigeria
Pheello Makosholo – Ben Made It – South Africa
Kang Quintus – Mabanda Zoey Martinson – The Fisherman -Ghana
26. AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST FILM
The Trek – South Africa
To Adaego with Love -Nigeria
The Fisherman – Ghana
The Color of Exile- Cote D’voire
Slum Bomber – Uganda One Woman, One Bra -Kenya
The Herd- Nigeria Ben Made It – South Africa
Mabanda – Cameroun
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