Apostle Dr. Eucharia set the tone right as she began the award presentation with Etim Effiong on the AMVCA 2026 Award Night. She reminded everyone that in life, there’ll always be winners and losers. Of course, the AMVCA12 showed us that.
The viewers voted with their hearts, while the judges, led by the iconic Joke Silva, used their decades of experience to crown the best storytellers.
The Leaders of the AMVCA 2026 Nomination List:
- Gingerrr and The Herd – 9 nominations each
- To Kill A Monkey – 8 nominations
- My Father’s Shadow – 7 nominations
We were happy to see our favourites shine, but sadly, not everyone could go home with an award. Here are the top AMVCA 12 winners and losers. 
SEE ALSO: ‘My Father’s Shadow’ Wins Overall Best Movie at AMVCA 2026 – See Winners (Full List)
The Top Winners
My Father’s Shadow
My Father’s Shadow was the biggest surprise package of the night! We should have seen it coming, but ignored the green light.
This international award-winning movie clinched five out of seven nominations, which is a clean 71.43% win rate. It took home:
- Best Overall Movie
- Best Director
- Best Sound/Sound design
- Best Writing
- Best Score/Music
The film follows two young brothers who spend one chaotic day in Lagos with their estranged father during the tense 1993 election crisis. As they move through the city’s madness, deep family secrets, regrets, and their own identities unfold in this touching coming-of-age story. The cast and crew really did a great job.
Colours of Fire
Next, Colours of Fire came with serious heat, carting away 3 out of 4 nominations, which is a fine 75% win rate. It is in the following categories:
- Best Lead Actor
- Best Art Direction
- Best Costume Design
The movie was set in a world of rival tribes and ancient magic. A warrior is sent to hunt a dangerous beast supposedly sent by his enemies. He then discovers shocking truths and a forbidden love that forces him to question everything. An epic movie to the core.
Lisabi and Inimba
Lisabi and Inimba also made us proud with solid wins (66.67% each).
Lisabi was inspired by the legendary Yoruba hero of Egbaland. It follows a brave farmer who rises against the oppressive Alaafin of Oyo and his brutal tax collectors, igniting a powerful rebellion for freedom.
It took home awards in the following categories:
Best Makeup
Best Indigenous Language (West Africa).
Inimba, a gripping South African telenovela, centres on an ambitious businesswoman who chose career over motherhood. She then returns 20 years later to face her daughter, family secrets, betrayal, and the unbreakable power of maternal love. It clinched the awards in:
- Best Scripted Series category
- Best M-Net Original Indigenous category
To Kill A Monkey
To Kill A Monkey didn’t go home empty either. Despite the massive hype and 8 nominations, the blockbuster secured 3 awards:
- Best Supporting Actor
- Best Editing
- Best Cinematography
The movies by the delectable Kemi Adetiba tell the story of a struggling First-Class graduate and family man, Efe. Efe gets pulled into Lagos’ dangerous yahoo underworld by an old friend. What begins as “just survival” quickly spirals into moral battles, betrayal, and serious consequences. Many expected it to sweep, but the votes had other plans.
The Top Losers
Gingerrr, Three Cold Dishes, and Behind The Scenes
Gingerrr, Three Cold Dishes, and Behind The Scenes left with zero wins despite their heavy nominations. Sad, but it’s the viewers’ choice here.
Gingerrr follows four bold Lagos women and hustlers. They pull off a high-stakes heist which was their best shot at escaping the streets for good.
Three Cold Dishes is a fierce Pan-African revenge thriller about three women from Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Benin. These were survivors of human trafficking who reunite years later to serve cold revenge on the powerful men who ruined their lives.
Behind The Scenes hits close to home: a generous and successful real estate mogul who gives everything to family and friends until it starts destroying her. When she finally sets boundaries, she sees people’s true colours.
The Serpent’s Gift
The Serpent’s Gift managed just 1 win out of 8, but what a win! It gave our queen, Linda Ejiofor, her second AMVCA as Best Lead Actress, a whole decade after her last one.
The story follows a young widow who loses her wealthy Igbo businessman husband and must battle his greedy family for his empire while uncovering dark secrets, legacy, and power rooted in tradition and ambition.
The Herd
The Herd also got just 1 out of 9, but that win handed Linda Ejiofor Best Supporting Actress.
The film turns a joyful wedding convoy into a nightmare. The convoy is ambushed and kidnapped by gunmen posing as herdsmen. It portrays a raw, intense survival story set against Nigeria’s insecurity challenges.
True to Mama Joke Silva’s words, AMVCA is not about hypes or popularity. It’s about excellent African stories told by Africans, for Africans. And we loved every bit of it!
Big shoutout to all the winners! To those who didn’t win this time, thank you for bringing us quality cinema. As Governor Sanwo-Olu said, it’s not just about winning, it’s about being part of the journey.
We’re already excited for next year’s entries!
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