The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) has announced its 2025 nominees, the awards’ eleventh edition.
Prime Video’s Lisabi: The Uprising and Netflix’s Seven Doors led with ten nominations, including nods for the latter’s Chioma Akpotha in Best Lead Actress and Femi Adebayo in Best Lead Actor, and the former’s Adedimeji Lateef for Best Lead Actor. Both films compete for Best Indigenous Language (West Africa), alongside Kunle Afoloyan’s spin-off series Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre. (Last year, Femi Adebayo won this category with Jagun Jagun.) Next is Skeleton Coast with seven nominations, and the trio of Suspicion, House of Ga’a, and Christmas in Lagos with six nominations apiece.
Bolanle Austen-Peters is nominated in the Best Director category for House of Ga’a. She is the only woman in the category. Elsewhere, Tolu Obanro is nominated for scoring Seven Doors.
Barely a week before the announcement, we published our annual list of “The 10 Best Films & TV Series of the Year,” and some of the films made the cut. It is a thing of surprise, however, that With Difficulty Comes Ease, the critical favourite of the year and the No. 1 film on our list, received no nominations. One is left wondering if the creators didn’t submit the film, or if it was simply ignored, or if it was even eligible.
Still, it’s exciting to see Uzoamaka Aniunoh, the lead of With Difficulty Comes Ease, make the Best Lead Actress category here for a different role, in Phoenix Fury. Other Best Actress nominees include Gbubemi Ejeye, Uzoamaka Onuoha, Uche Montana, Hilda Dokubo, and Bimbo Ademoye.
The awards ceremony will take place on May 10, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. Fans can visit the AMVCAs website to vote until May 4.
A complete list of the 2025 AMVCA nominees follows.
Best Digital Content Creator
Jide “Pounds” Ibitoye (Jide Pounds)
Dorcas Ariyiike Owolagba (Ariyiike Dimples)
Iyo Prosper
Elozonam
Maryam Apaokagi (Taaooma)
Best Short Film
Brukaci
In Bloom: Afefe
Sukari
The Incredible Sensational Fiancée of Sèyí Àjàyí
What Are You Truly Afraid Of?
Best Scripted (M-Net Original)
Uriri — Xavier Ighorodje
All Mine — Hadizat Ibrahim
My Fairytale Wedding — Chinenye Nworah and Taiwo Adebayo
Italo — Rogers Ofime
The Caller — Brain Munene
Kam U Stay — Damaris Irungu Ochieng
Best Series Unscripted
Ebuka Turns Up For Africa
Skillers (The Builders Show)
Style Magnate
Uzoamaka Tries Palmwine
Wa Milele? (Forever)
Best Series Scripted
Inside Life
Cheta M
Princess on a Hill
Seven Doors
Roses & Ivy
Best Documentary
Dundun
I Will Remember You
O.Y.O (On Your Own)
Walvis Tale
Women of Salt: The Resilience of Ebonyi’s Women
Best Indigenous Language Movie (East Africa)
The Empty Grave
Makosa di Yangu
Sabotage
The Caller
Wa Milele? (Forever)
Best Indigenous Language Movie (West Africa)
Seven Doors — Femi Adebayo
Lisabi: The Uprising — Adedimeji Latest and Adebimpe Oyebade Adedimeji
Kaka — Prince Daniel
Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre — Kunle Afolayan
Mai Martaba — Prince Daniel
Best Art Direction
The Man Died
Lisabi: The Uprising
Christmas in Lagos
Seven Doors
Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre
Best Sound Design
Beast of Two Worlds
Freedom Way
Inkabi
Lisabi: The Uprising
Seven Doors
Suspicion
Best Costume Design
Christmas In Lagos — Adedamola Adeyemi
Lisabi: The Uprising — Oluwatoyin Balogun and Oyebade Adebimpe Adedimeji
Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre — Toyin Ogundeji
House of Ga’a — Bolanle Austen-Peters, Yolanda Okereke, Juliana Dede, and Gloria Ovu
Phoenix Fury — Opeyemi Sogeke
Best Makeup
Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre
Inside Life
Farmer’s Bride
Lisabi: The Uprising
Seven Doors
Suspicion
Best Score
Freedom Way — Ahuurra Andrew, Kehinde “Louddaaa” Alabi, and Cobhams Asuquo
Seven Doors — Tolu Obanro
Inkabi — Seoli Bongani Mashaba
Skeleton Coast — Chris Letcher
Soft Love — Kolade Morankinyo (MPSE) and Efa Iwara (Love and Hate)
Best Cinematography
Yen Ara Asaase Ni (This Is Our Land) — Onasis Gaisie, Michael Sefa, and Apagnawen Annankra
Inkabi — Chuanne Blofield
The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos — Leo Purman
Skeleton Coast — Wesley Johnston
Soft Love — Ebrahim Hajee
Lisabi: The Uprising — Barnabas Emordi and Nora Awolowo
Agemo — Papama Tangela
Best Editing
Inkabi — Tongai Furusa
Christmas in Lagos — Martini Akande
Skeleton Coast — Jordan Koen
Soft Love — Holmes Awa and Paballo Modingoane
Lisabi: The Uprising — Anthill Studios
Princess on A Hill — Laughter Ephraim and Peter Ugbede
Best Writing: TV Series
Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre
Cheta M
Princess on a Hill
Roses & Ivy
Seven Doors
Tuki
Untying Kantai
Best Writing: Movie
Phoenix Fury
A Ghetto Love Story
Christmas in Lagos
Freedom Way
The Weekend
House of Ga’a
Best Supporting Actress
Meg Otanwa – Inside Life
Tina Mba – Suspicion
Ireti Doyle – All’s Fair in Love
Ini Dinma – Skeleton Coast
Mercy Aigbe – Farmer’s Bride
Omoni Oboli – The Uprising: Wives on Strike 3
Darasimi Nnadi – Aburo
Best Supporting Actor
Efa Iwara – Princess On A Hill
Adedayo Adebowale Macaroni (Mr Macaroni) – Lisabi: The Uprising
Uzor Arukwe – Suspicion
Mike Afolarin – House of Ga’a
Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD) – Christmas in Lagos
Gabriel Afolayan – Inside Life
Aliu Gafar – Seven Doors
Femi Jacobs – Freedom Way
Best Lead Actor
Gideon Okeke – Tokunbo
Bucci Franklin – The Weekend
Femi Branch – House of Ga’a
Thapelo Makoena – Skeleton Coast
Bimbo Manuel – Princess on A Hill
Stan Nze – Suspicion
Femi Adebayo – Seven Doors
Adedimeji Lateef – Lisabi: The Uprising
Best Lead Actress
Chioma Akpotha – Seven Doors
Gbubemi Ejeye – Farmer’s Bride
Uzoamaka Onuoha – Agemo
Uche Montana – Thinline
Uzoamaka Aniunoh – Phoenix Fury
Hilda Dokubo – The Uprising: Wives on Strike 3
Bimbo Ademoye – Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre
Best Director
House of Ga’a – Bolanle Austen-Peters
Inkabi – Norman Maake
Seven Doors – Femi Adebayo, Adebayo Tijani, Tope Adebayo
Skeleton Coast – Robert O Peters
The Man Died – Awam Amkpa
The Weekend – Daniel Emeke Oriahi
Best Movie
Lisabi: The Uprising
Skeleton Coast
Suspicion
Inkabi
House of Ga’a
Freedom Way
Christmas in Lagos
Farmer’s Bride ♦
