Nigerian Films Compete for African Movie Academy Awards Glory

Nigerian cinema is preparing for a major moment on the continental stage as Nollywood productions compete for honours at the 2026 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). Among the country’s leading contenders are To Adaego With Love, The Herd and Colours of Fire, which have earned significant recognition in this year’s nominations.

The nominations highlight the range of stories emerging from Nigeria’s film industry, from character-driven drama to productions competing across acting, writing and technical categories. They also place Nigerian filmmakers alongside creatives from other African countries in one of the continent’s prominent celebrations of filmmaking.

According to reports on the nominations, To Adaego With Love secured 11 nominations, while The Herd received 10 and Colours of Fire earned nine. The strong showing gives Nigeria several notable contenders ahead of the awards ceremony scheduled for November 15, 2026.

To Adaego With Love and The Herd lead the charge

With 11 nominations, To Adaego With Love is among Nigeria’s most prominent entries this year. Its nominations include major categories, placing the production in contention for recognition beyond the national film market.

The Herd, directed by Daniel Etim-Effiong, follows closely with 10 nominations. The film’s showing adds to the attention surrounding the director and the cast, while reinforcing the visibility of Nigerian productions in the awards race.

Both films are competing in the Best Film category against productions from across Africa. Their rivals include South Africa’s The Trek and Ben Made It, Ghana’s The Fisherman, Côte d’Ivoire’s The Color of Exile, Uganda’s Slum Bomber, Kenya’s One Woman, One Bra and Cameroon’s Mabanda.

The category brings together films from different national industries, offering an opportunity to compare the continent’s varied approaches to storytelling, production and filmmaking.

Nigerian actors earn recognition

Nollywood’s representation extends beyond the Best Film category, with Nigerian performers nominated for individual achievements.

Chisom Agoawuike received a Best Actress in a Leading Role nomination for To Adaego With Love. Other Nigerian nominees in the category include Osas Ighodaro for Colours of Fire, Toyin Abraham for Oversabi Auntie and Faithia Balogun for Efunroye: The Unicorn.

Nigerian actors also feature in the supporting performance categories. Dele Odule was nominated for Iwé àlá: An Ojúde Oba Story, Femi Branch for Colours of Fire and Bob Manuel Udokwu for To Adaego With Love.

These nominations recognise contributions across different productions and demonstrate how Nigeria’s presence at the awards extends from lead performances to supporting roles.

Competition reaches beyond acting

Nigeria’s nominations also cover several areas behind the camera, including screenplay, production design, sound and soundtrack. These categories matter because filmmaking depends not only on performances but also on the writing, visual choices, sound and other technical work that shape the finished production.

The country’s presence also extends to documentary, animation and short-film categories. Among the Nigerian titles reported on the shortlist are Asaba Massacre: October 7, 1967 and The Rhythm of Ancestors – Yoruba Bata in documentary, alongside animated works such as The Plot and The Lion of Gwoza. Nigerian short films Hurriyah and The Spectacular Death of Prisca also feature in the nominations.

This broad representation gives the country several routes to recognition and draws attention to filmmakers working in formats beyond mainstream feature films.

A continental stage for African storytelling

The Africa Movie Academy Awards celebrate achievements in African cinema, bringing films and filmmakers from different countries into a shared competition. For Nigerian productions, the event offers an opportunity to reach audiences and industry professionals beyond the domestic market.

The competition is also a reminder that African cinema is not a single style or story. Films from different regions bring distinct languages, cultural experiences, themes and production approaches to the screen. The Best Film lineup reflects that diversity, with Nigerian titles competing against productions from across the continent.

For Nollywood, the nominations offer recognition for the work already completed, while the final results will determine which productions take home awards. The number of nominations can draw attention to a film, but the winners will ultimately be decided at the ceremony.

As the November 15 event approaches, attention will remain on whether To Adaego With Love, The Herd, Colours of Fire and other Nigerian entries can convert their nominations into awards. Whatever the final outcome, their presence across major and specialist categories places Nigerian filmmaking firmly in the conversation surrounding this year’s AMAA.