The nominees for the 2026 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) have been announced, with Nigerian films To Adaego With Love and The Herd among the major contenders.
The nominations for the 22nd edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards were announced on Saturday, October 17, 2026, during a livestream on the awards’ official YouTube channel.
Uganda’s Slum Bomber and Kenya’s One Woman, One Bra lead the nominations with 14 each. Nigerian film To Adaego With Love, directed by Nwamaka Chikezie, follows with 11 nominations, making it the most nominated Nigerian film this year.
Daniel Etim Effiong’s The Herd received 10 nominations, putting the Nigerian film among the leading contenders at the ceremony. South Africa’s The Trek and Ben Made It, alongside Côte d’Ivoire’s Colours of Exile, also received 10 nominations each.
Colours of Fire follows with nine nominations, adding to Nigeria’s strong presence on this year’s list.
The nominations recognise films, actors, directors and other professionals working across African cinema, with entries from several countries competing in categories covering acting, directing, writing, cinematography and other aspects of filmmaking.
Nigerian stars nominated for
Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) 2026
Several familiar Nollywood names have earned nominations across the acting categories.
Toyin Abraham received a nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Oversabi Aunty. Osas Ighodaro was nominated in the same category for Colours of Fire, while Faithia Balogun earned recognition for her performance in Efunroye (The Unicorn).
Daniel Etim Effiong received nominations for Best Director, Best Debut Feature Film by a Director and Best Actor in a Leading Role for The Herd.
Other Nigerian actors recognised include Wale Ojo for Light Out, Uzor Arukwe for Colours of Fire, Linda Ejiofor for The Herd, Mercy Aigbe for Colours of Fire, Omowunmi Dada for Evi and Patience Ozokwo for Onobiren.
The Best Actor in a Supporting Role category also features Dele Odule for Iwe Ala, Femi Branch for Colours of Fire, Bucci Franklin for The Creek, and Bob Manuel Udokwu for To Adaego With Love.
Full list of Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) 2026 nominees
Below is the complete list of nominees across the categories
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 – Nigeria/USA
The Man, The Cliff and The Dog – South Africa
A Night With The Queen – Nigeria/UK
God Sleeps On Sunday – Zimbabwe
Emanya – Namibia
JUBRIL MALAFIA AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION
The Plot – Nigeria/UK
Ananse and The Divine Journey – Ghana/USA
Sundrud – Mali/France/Belgium/Iceland
Ana Fein W Geit Menein – Egypt
The Lion of Gwoza – Nigeria
The Shadow of a Griot (L’ombre D’un Griot) – Côte d’Ivoire
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
Truck Mama – Kenya
The Greatest Soul on Earth – South Africa
Djeyha, Memory of Django – Burkina Faso
Fosta – South Africa
Asaba Massacre – Nigeria
Chichen Ghetto – Uganda
The Rhythm of Ancestors – Nigeria
Ekitibiwa ky’olugbobo – Uganda
OUSMANE SEMBENE AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE
Slum Bomber – Uganda
Iwe Ala – Nigeria
Mabanda – Cameroon
One Woman, One Bra – Kenya
Ben Made It – South Africa
Efunroye (The Unicorn) – Nigeria
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
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA SHORT
Till Death – USA
Jamari’s Rose & Da 5 Bullet Holes
The Things We Carry
River Mama
Cross Roads
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY
Nashville Soul – USA
Reclaiming The Past – USA
Sisters in Destiny: Angela Davis & Getty Archimède – Guadeloupe
Stolen – USA
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA NARRATIVE FEATURE
A Tribe Called Love
Montmartre
Heirloom
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN
To Adaego With Love
Slum Bomber
The Herd
Light Out
Colours of Fire
One Woman, One Bra
Cordelia
The Creek
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
The Fisherman
One Woman, One Bra
Iwe Ala
Idia
To Adaego With Love
The Trek
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP
Efunroye (The Unicorn)
Colours of Fire
Slum Bomber
Mabanda
The Herd
Suky
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK
Slum Bomber
To Adaego With Love
Black Burn Fast
Evi
Idia
One Woman, One Bra
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
The Creek
Colours of Fire
The Fisherman
Suky
The Herd
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND
The Trek
Suky
To Adaego With Love
Colours of Fire
Slum Bomber
Colours of Exile
Black Burn Fast
One Woman, One Bra
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Trek
Colours of Exile
One Woman, One Bra
Slum Bomber
Hanami
Cordelia
Ben Made It
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING
Colours of Exile
Slum Bomber
Ben Made It
The Trek
Suky
Evi
One Woman, One Bra
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREENPLAY
To Adaego With Love
Slum Bomber
Colours of Exile
One Woman, One Bra
Onobiren
The Herd
Ben Made It
AMAA 2026 – NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO CENSORS BOARD (NFVCB) AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM
Iwe Ala
To Adaego With Love
Colours of Fire
Suky
Efunroye (The Unicorn)
The Herd
Cordelia
The Creek
Oversabi Aunty
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG/PROMISING ACTOR
Muntaha Mohammed – A Tribe Called Love
Abdou Aziz Dabak Salis – Colours of Exile
James Solomon Damilare – Suky
Osas Okonyon – Evi
Dailma Mendes (Young Nana) – Hanami
Leah Lindeque – The Trek
Onyinye Odokoro – Oblation
Ocen Daniel – Slum Bomber
Azania Thella – Ben Made It
Gbubemi Ejeye – Idia
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Amos Leuka – One Woman, One Bra
Dele Odule – Iwe Ala
Samuel Kabugo – Slum Bomber
Femi Branch – Colours of Fire
Bucci Franklin – The Creek
Bob-Manuel Udokwu – To Adaego With Love
Maurice Carpede – The Trek
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 – Colours of Exile
Omowunmi Dada – Evi
Phumzile Kubheka – Ben Made It
Patience Ozokwo – Onobiren
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Maurice Carpede – The Trek
Wale Ojo – Light Out
Daniel Etim-Effiong – The Herd
Ricky Adelayitar – The Fisherman
Uzor Arukwe – Colours of Fire
Marcus Mabusela – Ben Made It
Abdoulaziz Sall – Colours of Exile
Kang Quintus – Mabanda
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 – Colours of Exile
Toyin Abraham – Oversabi Aunty
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR
Daniel Etim-Effiong – The Herd
Maureen Jolly Nankya – Slum Bomber
Vincho Nchogu – 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 Daughters’ Mother
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
Meekaaeel Adam – The Trek (South Africa)
Nwamaka Chikezie – To Adaego With Love (Nigeria)
Azlorabe Alaoui – Colours of Exile (Côte d’Ivoire)
Maureen Nankya – Slum Bomber (Uganda)
Vincho Nchogu – One Woman, One Bra (Kenya)
Daniel Etim-Effiong – The Herd (Nigeria)
Pheello Makosholo – Ben Made It (South Africa)
Kang Quintus – Mabanda (Cameroon)
Zoey Martinson – The Fisherman (Ghana)
AMAA 2026 AWARD FOR BEST FILM
The Trek – South Africa
To Adaego With Love – Nigeria
The Fisherman – Ghana
Colours of Exile – Côte d’Ivoire
Slum Bomber – Uganda
One Woman, One Bra – Kenya
The Herd – Nigeria
Ben Made It – South Africa
Mabanda – Cameroon
When is AMAA 2026?
The 22nd Africa Movie Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for November 15, 2026.
The event will bring together filmmakers, actors, and other industry professionals to celebrate achievements in African cinema.
With Slum Bomber and One Woman, One Bra leading the nominations overall, and To Adaego With Love and The Herd representing strong Nigerian contenders, the ceremony will be an important moment for filmmakers across the continent.
The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony.
