The official unveiling of the 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) began with a press conference held on March 26, 2024.
While Ariyiike Owolagba hosted the event, the press conference provided an avenue to address key questions. It also served as a platform to announce new developments regarding the AMVCA, a major promoter of African stories on the global stage.
The Academy Director, Atinuke Ngozi Babatunde, opened the conference with a speech. In it, she highlighted the AMVCA’s ongoing celebration of African culture, craftsmanship, authenticity, and excellence through filmmaking. She added that a stronger Pan-African approach has expanded the categories; these now include entries from North and Central Africa, alongside those from West, South, and East Africa. This is to ensure that talents from all regions of Africa are seen, heard, and honoured. 
Babatunde also announced a strategic upgrade in the AMVCA’s partnership with Diageo. With excitement, she revealed Don Julio as the headline sponsor brand for this year’s edition.
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The Activities for AMVCA’12
As usual, the AMVCA will begin with the Nominees Announcement. The announcement will be made this year on Sunday, March 29. It will also be streamed live on all Africa Magic channels by 7 PM (WAT).
Immediately follows the opening vote, where the viewers pick their choices from the 11 different categories. The voting process will happen on the official Africa Magic website.
The viewers will vote in 11 categories, including Best Digital Content Creator, Best Short Films, Best Indigenous Language West Africa, Best Indigenous Language East Africa, Best Indigenous Language South Africa, Best Indigenous Language North Africa, Best Indigenous Language Central Africa, Best Indigenous M-Net Original, Best Unscripted M-Net Original, Best Scripted M-Net Original, and Best MultiChoice Talent Factory Production.
Next, the Icon’s Night, an avenue to honour those whose contributions have shaped the African movie industry. Mrs. Babatunde did not hesitate to mention that this tradition will continue and won’t stop anytime soon. The Icons Night is set to hold on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
After the Icon’s Night comes the Young Filmmakers Day, with a spotlight on young filmmakers. This emphasises AMVCA’s commitment to promoting upcoming talents in the industry, thinking about the future of African cinema.
The AMVCA will host one of its most anticipated nights next—Cultural Day, a “festival day on its own,” scheduled for Thursday, 7th May.
Then comes the grand finale, the most anticipated Awards Night. Here, we shall see the viewers’ choices walk home with their awards.
“It’s going to be an unforgettable celebration, but as always, AMVCA is not just about the industry—it’s about you, the audience. And so, because you’re the heartbeat of Africa’s storytelling, your engagement, your passion, your voice, especially through voting, is what makes the AMVCA truly special,” Mrs. Babatunde added.
Sponsors
This year, MTN is partnering again. The Manager for Sponsorship and Promotion, Njidekem Odogwu, says the partnership is about enabling potential. “Through this sponsorship, MTN uses its reach and technology to support creativity, entrepreneurship, audience connection, helping talent grow, and audiences engage more meaningfully,” she added.
Onga, too, is partnering as the key culinary partner for the fourth time, because you can’t talk culture without food.
Diageo stands out as the headline sponsor of the 12th edition of the AMVCA, sponsoring with its full portfolio across all drinks. Diageo, through its Head of Marketing, Ogunleye Segun, promised the whole nine yards. Don Julio to whispers luxury, smoothness, and celebration; Johnnie Walker for you to take strides with bold, timeless sophistication. There will be Smirnoff for the cool kids, Orijin to connect with the African heritage, and Guinness with its rich, dark, and bold spark. Malta Guinness will be available for those who prefer sweet, nourishing, and energising moments.
A New Head Judge
In assurance of fair, transparent, and impartial judgment of every movie entry, a distinguished head judge was appointed. The new judge was announced as the delectable veteran actress and producer, Joke Silva.
She expressed in her unveiling speech that the role of jurors is “not simply to reward visibility or popularity, but to honour the depth of craft and the mastery of storytelling that continue to elevate African cinema on the global stage. The AMVCA stands as a celebration of this connected excellence.”
“It is a celebration of our cultures, our creativity, and the powerful stories that define who we are as a continent,” she added.
Joke Silva explained that the criteria for selecting winners include measuring standards across the continent, the strength of the story, and the quality of directing. She added that technical elements like lighting and soundtrack are also considered. All of these to ensure every aspect works in the service of the story.
In all, the 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards promises a bigger, bolder, and more inclusive celebration of African storytelling, driven by creativity, culture, and audience participation.
It’s #AMVCA12 season!
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