AMAA 2026: Nollywood’s ‘The Herd’, ‘To Adaego With Love’, ‘Colours of Love’ Dominate Nominees’ List

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

The Africa Film Academy (AFA) has announced the nominees ahead of the 22nd edition of the prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), holding Sunday November 15 at The Marriott, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.

The nomination list was unveiled on Saturday, October 17 in a gathering of stakeholders and African film practitioners at Radisson Blu, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

Leading the 2026 nominees’ list are Ugandan sports drama film, ‘Slum Bomber’ and Kenyan ‘One Woman, One Bra’ with 14 nominations each. The two films are closely followed by Nollywood’s ‘To Adaego With Love’, which secured 11 nominations.

‘The Herd’, a 2025 Nigerian crime thriller directed by Nollywood star, Daniel Etim-Effiong got 10 nods while ‘Colours of Fire’, a 2025 Nigerian epic fantasy drama directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, trailed with nine nominations.

Other Nigerian film stars including Osas Ighodaro, Toyin Abraham, Omowunmi Dada, Fathia Balogun, Uzor Arukwe and Wale Ojo got nominations in different categories including Osas Ikponyon who was nominated for ‘Best Young/Promising Actor’ for her role in the musical drama, ‘Evi’.

In 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 Chief Operating Officer of AMAA, Dr. Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe expressed felicitations to nominees and noted that even if they don’t win the prize, they are already winners for getting nominated.

“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 Africa’s rich narrative,” Anyiam-Osagie stated.

He added that AMAA has become more than just an awards platform but a mirror reflecting Africa’s shared struggles, triumphs and diverse cultures.

“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 Sunday November 15, 2026 at the Prestigious 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,” Anyiam-Osigwe declared.

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 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