Uzor Arukwe, Linda Ejiofor Win Big At 2026 AMVCA Awards

Nollywood actors Uzor Arukwe and Linda Ejiofor have won the “Best Lead Actor” and “Best Lead Actress” awards, respectively, at the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, AMVCA.

Arukwe clinched the “Best Lead Actor” award for his performance in “Colours of Fire,” beating a strong field of nominees that included Mike Ezuruonye (Oversabi Aunty), Lateef Adedimeji (Lisabi: A Legend Is Born), William Benson (To Kill a Monkey), Kanayo O. Kanayo (Grandpa Must Obey), Khumbuza Meyiwa (Bet I Love You), Wale Ojo (3 Cold Dishes), and Femi Branch (Red Circle).

In the “Best Lead Actress” category, Ejiofor was rewarded for her role in “The Serpent’s Gift.”

She emerged ahead of fellow nominees, including Bimbo Akintola (To Kill a Monkey), Ifeoma Fafunwa (The Lost Days), Ariyike Owolagba (Something About The Briggs), Sola Sobowale (Her Excellency), Scarlet Gomez (Behind the Scenes), Genoveva Umeh (The Herd), and Gloria Anozie-Young (Mother of the Brides).

See the list of winners below:

Best Costume Design
“The Serpent’s Gift” – Mary Chukuma
“The Real Housewives of Lagos (S3)” – Deola Art Alade, Darey Art Alade
“Colours of Fire” – Valerie Okeke (WINNER)
“Something About The Briggs” – Yolanda Okereke
“To Kill a Monkey” – Ikechukwu Urum, John Joseph Angel.

Best Makeup
“Behind The Scenes” – Mojisola Imam
“Lisabi (A Legend Is Born)” – Adeola Thelma Bamgboye
“Gingerrr” – Diablaq Artistry
“Abanisete” – Adeola Thelma Bamgboye
“Warlord” – Hakeem Onilogbo (Hakeem Effect) (WINNER)
“Suky” – Ruth Harcourt
“Labake Olododo” – Adeola Thelma Bamgboye.

Best Art Direction
“The Serpent’s Gift” – Zainab Oladupupo
“The Herd” – Omolade Abisola
“Colours of Fire” – Ajamolaya Bunmi (WINNER)
“Aljana” – Olatunji Afolayan, Gideon Stephen
“Suky” – Victor Akpan
“Inimba” – Thabiso Senne.

Best Sound / Sound Design
“My Father’s Shadow” – Pius Fatoke, CJ Mirra (WINNER)
“Gingerrr” – Tolu Obanro
“Ben Made It” – Vaughan Phillips
“The Party” – Tolu Obanro
“Sebata (The Beast)” – Vaughan Phillips
“The Herd” – Fisayo Adefolaju.

Best Editing
“Cordelia” – Kazeem Agboola
“My Father’s Shadow” – Omar Guzman Castro
“Landline” – Nwanguma Peter Chidebere, Dele Doherty
“3 Cold Dishes” – Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi
“Osamede” – Winston AIG-Ohioma
“To Kill a Monkey” – Daniel Anyiam (WINNER).

Best Writing (TV Series)
“The Wives” – Donald Tombia, Timendu Aghahowa, Chiemeka Osuagwu
“MTV Shuga Mashariki” – Annette Shadeya & others (WINNER)
“Our Husband” – Xavier Ighorodje
“Addis Fikir” – Besufekade Mulu
“Baba OH” – Temilola Balogun
“The Party” – Stephen Okonkwo
“Gizat” – Yednekachew Ayne.

Best Writing (Movie)
“The Herd” – Lani Aisida
“My Father’s Shadow” – Wale Davies (WINNER)
“Blackout” – Ikenna Okpara
“Cards on the Table” – Shirleen Wangari
“Gingerrr” – Xavier Ighorodje
“Suky” – Isaac Ayodeji
“3 Cold Dishes” – Tomi Adesina.

Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa)
“The Serpent’s Gift” – Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi
“Lisabi (A Legend is Born)” – Lateef Adedimeji (WINNER)
“Labake Olododo” – Iyabo Ojo & team
“Aljana” – Grace Yachat Yakubu
“Olorisha” – Abiola Adeshina.

Best Cinematography
“My Father’s Shadow” – Jermaine Edwards
“To Kill A Monkey” – Kabelo Thathe (WINNER)
“The Herd” – Emmanuel Igbekele
“Finding Nina” – Daanong Gyang
“The Serpent’s Gift” – Emmanuel Igbekele
“Stitches” – KC Obiajulu
“Gingerrr” – Emmanuel Igbekele.

Best Digital Content Creator
“Luxury Koko” – Taaoma (Maryam Apaokagi-Greene)
“The Marriage List” – Destiny Ogie Osarewinda
“The Rate Race” – Benedict Ehimare Oriaifo
“August Meeting Election” – Steve Chuks
“Did I Just Hear Muah” – Akwaman
“Leave To Live” – Emmanuel Kanaga & Sophia Chisom (WINNER).

Best Supporting Actress
“The Herd” – Linda Ejiofor (WINNER)
“Gingerrr” – Bisola Aiyeola
“Behind the Scenes” – Funke Akindele
“The Covenant Series” – Sola Sobowale
“Aljana” – Nadia Dutch.

Best Supporting Actor
“To Kill a Monkey” – Bucci Franklin (WINNER)
“Agesinkole 2” – Femi Adebayo
“Colours of Fire” – Gabriel Afolayan
“Behind the Scenes” – Uzor Arukwe
“Red Circle” – Lateef Adedimeji.

Best Lead Actress
“Her Excellency” – Sola Sobowale
“The Serpent’s Gift” – Linda Ejiofor (WINNER)
“Behind the Scenes” – Scarlet Gomez
“The Herd” – Genoveva Umeh
“Mother of the Brides” – Gloria Anozie-Young.

Best Lead Actor
“Lisabi” – Lateef Adedimeji
“To Kill a Monkey” – William Benson
“Colours of Fire” – Uzor Arukwe (WINNER)
“3 Cold Dishes” – Wale Ojo
“Red Circle” – Femi Branch.

Best Movie
“Gingerrr” – Bisola Aiyeola & team
“The Herd” – Daniel Etim Effiong & team
“My Father’s Shadow” – Funmbi Ogunbanwo & Rachel Dargavel (WINNER)
“3 Cold Dishes” – Asurf Oluseyi & team
“The Serpent’s Gift” – Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi
“Behind the Scenes” – Funke Akindele & Wendy Imaseun.

Best Documentary
“Beyond Olympic Glory” – Shedrack Salami (WINNER)
“The Good x The Bad of Afrobeat” – Louis Ejiofor
“The People Shall” – Mark Maina, Nick Wambugu
“Not Adressing This Anymore” – Huzzain Bello
“BOU” – Mwaka Gerald Remmy.

Best Score/Music
“My Father’s Shadow” – Duval Timothy, CJ Mirra
“3 Cold Dishes” – Nissi Ogulu
“Osamede” – Chubb Okobah
“Gingerrr” – Tolu Obanro
“The Party” – Tolu Obanro
“MTV Shuga Mashariki” – Sofresh
“To Kill a Monkey” – Oscar Heman-Ackah (WINNER).