The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) have always been the continent’s most-watched celebration of African storytelling, but it has had to fight the narrative that it is a Nigerian award.
With the 12th edition, it is making its most consequential statement yet that African film is no longer a Nigerian conversation. The organisers of the AMVCA have announced two brand-new categories for the 2026 ceremony: Best Indigenous Language Film (North Africa) and Best Indigenous Language Film (Central Africa).
It is a deliberate, overdue expansion that brings Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo formally into a room that has historically been shaped by Lagos.
The nominees for Best Indigenous Language Film (North Africa) are The Omnipresent, The Delivery, The Hidden Voice, This Is Portsaid, and Artal Alhanin: Our Memories. These five films from a region whose cinema has its own rich tradition and almost no presence in mainstream pan-African awards culture.
Central Africa’s contenders are Mabanda, Safou: A Gift From Nature, and Golden Spoon.
The announcement was made in a live broadcast on Africa Magic channels, hosted by award-winning actor Chimezie Imo, with the main ceremony set for May 9, 2026.
The existing indigenous language categories reinforce just how wide the net has been cast. West African nominees include The Serpent’s Gift, Lisabi: A Legend Is Born, Labake Olododo, Olorisha, and Aljana. East Africa is represented by Inside Job, Sayari, Addis Fikir, My Son, and Kimote. Southern Africa contends with Bet I Love You, Sebata: The Beast, Ben Made It, Terra of Queens and Kuma 2, and Tlhaho Ya Mosadi.
Taken together, the indigenous language categories alone span five regions and dozens of languages, a scope that no African awards body has attempted at this scale before.
The 12th AMVCA will feature 32 categories in total, including 18 jury-voted awards, 11 audience-voted honours, and three special recognitions — among them the Lifetime Achievement and Trailblazer awards.
For years, the argument that Nollywood had become a continental industry was rhetorical. The 12th AMVCA is making it structural.
