The organisers of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards have announced the nominees for the 2026 edition, with Gingerrr and The Herd emerging as the top contenders after securing nine nominations each across major categories.
The nominations were unveiled on Sunday, March 29, during a live broadcast on Africa Magic channels, setting the stage for a keenly contested awards season. Close behind are To Kill A Monkey with eight nominations and My Father’s Shadow, which earned seven nods.
Brandspur Brand News reports that the 12th edition of the awards will feature 32 categories, comprising 18 jury-decided awards, 11 audience-voted categories, and three special recognition honours. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on May 9, 2026, in Lagos.
The judging panel is chaired by veteran actress Joke Silva, while voting for audience categories opened on March 29 and will close on April 26.
In the acting categories, Lateef Adedimeji, Femi Branch, and Uzor Arukwe are among those nominated for Best Lead Actor. On the female side, Bimbo Akintola, Sola Sobowale, and Genoveva Umeh headline the Best Lead Actress category.
The Best Supporting Actress category also features strong contenders, including Linda Ejiofor, Bisola Aiyeola, and Funke Akindele.
Technical categories reflect intense competition, with multiple nominations spread across cinematography, editing, sound design, and score music, particularly for Gingerrr, The Herd, and My Father’s Shadow.
Other notable categories include Best Movie, where the leading films will battle for top honours, as well as Best Director, Best Writing (Movie and TV Series), and Best Indigenous Language films across different African regions.
The awards, widely regarded as one of the most prestigious in Africa’s film and television industry, continue to spotlight excellence in storytelling, production, and performance across the continent.
