Nigerian films To Adaego With Love, The Herd and Colours of Fire have emerged as the country’s leading contenders at the 22nd Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), securing 11, 10 and nine nominations, respectively. The nominations were announced on Saturday, ahead of the awards ceremony scheduled for 15 November 2026. Nwamaka Chikezie’s To Adaego With Love leads the Nigerian entries with 11 nominations, followed by Daniel Etim-Effiong’s The Herd with 10, while Colours of Fire received nine nominations.
The three productions feature across several categories, including Best Film, acting and technical achievements, highlighting Nigeria’s strong presence on this year’s nominees’ list. Beyond the Nigerian contenders, Uganda’s Slum Bomber and Kenya’s One Woman, One Bra lead the overall nominations with 14 each. South Africa’s Theen Made It and Côte d’Ivoire’s Colours of Exile received 10 nominations apiece.
Speaking at the announcement, AMAA chief executive Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe said the nominated films reflected Africa’s diverse cultures, shared struggles and creative excellence. “The films nominated this year remind us that African stories are global stories, possessing the power to captivate, challenge, and inspire audiences anywhere in the world,” he said.
The CEO added that the nominees have raised the standard of filmmaking across the continent, saying, “You have raised the bar for African cinema and for that entire continent.” Mr Anyiam-Osigwe also announced that the 2026 ceremony would be held at the Lagos Marriott Hotel. Representing the jury, the Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr Shaibu Husseini, praised the awards and expressed confidence in the process.
Several Nollywood actors received nominations in the leading and supporting acting categories. Toyin Abraham was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Oversabi Aunty, alongside Osas Ighodaro for Colours of Fire and Faithia Balogun for Efunroye (The Unicorn).