The nominations for the 21st Africa Movie Academy Awards have been revealed ahead of the 2025 ceremony.
The announcement took place at the BON Hotel Ikeja Residence in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, drawing widespread attention from industry stakeholders and the public.
Prominent Nigerian actors Lilian Aluko, Emeka Ossai, Charles Inojie, and Adaora Anyanwu led the unveiling of the nominees. The event also featured contributions from Nigerian media personality Chris Kehinde Nwandu, the Executive Director of the National Film and Videos Censors Board Dr. Shaibu Husseini, and former Lagos State Commissioner Steve Ayorinde. Both Husseini and Ayorinde represented the AMAA jury at the event.
The nominations were streamed live globally via the AMAA’s official online and social media platforms, including Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and X.
Veteran Nollywood actor and singer Segun Arinze hosted the nomination ceremony, which was attended by the AMAA board chaired by Dr. Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe, COO George Anyiam-Osigwe, along with industry figures such as Tony Anih, Teco Benson, and Lancelot Imasuen.
Leading the nominations was Burkina Faso’s Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions with ten nods, while Nigeria’s Lisabi secured seven nominations.
The race for Best Actress in a Leading Role includes Nigerian stars Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Osas Ighodaro, and Shaffy Bello, competing alongside Rwandan actress Analisa Munyana, South African Danica De La Ray Jones, Ethiopian Getahun Hailu, Florence Mariserena, and Algerian Meriem Medjkane.
For Best Actor in a Leading Role, nominees include Keenan Arrison for The Heart is a Muscle, Debebe Eshetu for For Love, for Land, for Power, Adjetey Anang for Last Stop, Lateef Adedimeji for Lisabi: The Uprising, Ayden Croy for Old Righteous Blues, Bizimana Hussain for Small Gods, Mahamadi Nana for Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions, and Nabil Asli for Algiers.
The Best Film category features eight entries from across Africa: Algiers (Algeria), 3 Cold Dishes (Nigeria), The Heart is a Muscle (South Africa), Small Gods (Uganda), For Love, For Land, For Power (Ethiopia), Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions (Burkina Faso), Last Stop (Ghana), and Lisabi: The Uprising (Nigeria).
During the event, celebrated actor and filmmaker Charles Inojie, alongside veteran director Teco Benson, expressed confidence in the jury’s decisions and praised the organisers. Benson, a multiple AMAA recipient, remarked that the 21st edition would continue to elevate standards within both the Nigerian and wider African film industries, reinforcing AMAA’s reputation as a premier platform for African cinema.
The 21st Africa Movie Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for November 9, 2025, at the Balmoral Convention Centre Sheraton in Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
