AMVCA 2026 Nominations Full List: Top Films and Trends 2026!

Choice Awards (AMVCA) nominations have finally been announced to honor outstanding works in the film and TV industry.

As the event is set to take place on May 9, AMVCA 2026 nominations full list reflect both the exceptional talents and the latest developments in the industry.

From the visionaries behind the camera to the icons on screen, we recognize the excellence that continues to shape our culture. ✨

Step into a world of mastery as we spotlight the stories that defined the year and the craft required to tell them.
🗓️ 9 May
🕓 Red Carpet: 4:00 PM… pic.twitter.com/7rsnfpPJBx
— Africamagictv (@africamagictv) April 18, 2026

The Herd and Gingerrr Dominating AMVCA 2026 Nominations

Leading nominations come from The Herd and Gingerrr, each of which has earned nine nominations for various categories.

The Herd and Gingerrr lead in categories such as:

Best Movie
Best Director
Various acting nominations

In second position are the following:

To Kill a Monkey – 8 nominations
My Father’s Shadow – 7 nominations
The Serpent’s Gift and 3 Cold Dishes – 6 nominations each

Release in Cinema Beats Streaming Services

Another prominent trend seen in the nominations for this year is the dominance of movies released in cinemas within the Best Film category.

Unlike previous years,

Streamed films fail to make it to the top category
Movies released in cinemas are gaining more traction

This points to the fact that there is an emerging trend in the relationship between Nollywood and international streaming services, with cinemas becoming powerful once again.

Technique Reigns Supreme

Technical excellence is another prominent feature seen among the 2026 AMVCA nominations.

Among the notable ones is Emmanuel Igbekele, who got three nominations for Best Cinematography for films.

The Herd
The Serpent’s Gift
Gingerrr

Meanwhile, Tolu Obanro made it two nominations within Best Sound Design and Best Score/Music, respectively.

This shows the rise in the focus on technical work within African filmmaking.

Multiple Acting Nominees Across Projects

In the acting category, it was observed that multiple familiar faces were nominated for different projects.

Some of the most notable nominations in this category were:

Linda Ejiofor for Lead and Supporting Actress
Lateef Adedimeji for multiple nominations
Femi Branch as the lead actor and supporting actor
Uzor Arukwe for multiple nominations

Vets and Fresh Blood Featured Equally

The nominees for the upcoming 2026 ceremony also highlight a combination of experienced actors and promising new faces.

Among the veterans, we see:

Sola Sobowale
Bimbo Akintola
Kanayo O. Kanayo

along with a young talent in Ifeoma Fafunwa, who got a nomination for her debut lead role performance.

New Regional Categories at AMVCA

But there is more! One of the most exciting developments this year is the creation of new regional categories.

As of now, the AMVCA adds two new ones:

North Africa
Central Africa

So now there are five total categories featuring regional indigenous films!

Details on 2026 Nominations

Below is the full breakdown of the categories featured during this year’s event:

Total number of categories – 32
Number of jury-voted awards – 18
Audience-voted categories – 11
Special recognition award – 3

The audience voting phase ends April 26, while the winners are announced May 9.

Conclusion

This year’s 2026 nominations clearly show how the African film industry evolves.

With many nominations for several categories and an expanding continent-wide participation, this year’s ceremony can become a milestone event in African filmmaking history.

The Herd, Gingerrr bag most nominations at AMVCA 2026 – Full List