Veteran Nollywood actor, Ramsey Nouah, has revealed that, despite his decades-long career and status as one of the Nigerian film industry’s most recognisable actors, he has never won an Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award (AMVCA) in an acting category.
Nouah made the revelation during an appearance on Isbae U’s Curiosity Made Me Ask podcast, which was released on YouTube on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Reflecting on his AMVCA experience, the actor recalled his nomination for Best Actor at the 2011 edition of the awards for his role in the historical drama 76. He, however, lost the category despite competing against two highly regarded actors, Richard Mofe-Damijo, popularly known as RMD, and the late Olu Jacobs.
Nouah attributed the outcome to the voting system used by the awards at the time. According to him, the AMVCAs were then largely driven by viewers’ votes, without the jury component that now forms part of the selection process. He explained that the arrangement gave an advantage to nominees who enjoyed greater visibility and engagement on social media. “I never won an AMVCA. I was nominated for best actor in 76, and I lost. At the time, it was predominantly a viewers’ choice award. Now, you can have the balance of the jury and then the viewers,” he said.
The actor further recalled that the eventual winner had a stronger presence on social media than the other nominees, giving him an edge under the voting structure in place at the time. “At that time it was predominantly viewers, and the guy who was stronger on social media got it over us. And the nominees were myself, RMD, Uncle Olu Jacobs and the guy won every one of us because we weren’t strong on social media at the time.”
Although Nouah has yet to secure an AMVCA acting prize, his achievements as a filmmaker have earned him recognition at the same awards. He won Best Director at the 7th AMVCA in 2020 for Living in Bondage: Breaking Free, his directorial debut. Two years later, he claimed the same honour at the 8th AMVCA for Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story.
Also speaking during the podcast appearance, Nouah challenged the widespread description of Nollywood as being divided into “old” and “new” eras. He maintained that the Nigerian film industry should instead be viewed as one continuous entity that has developed and adapted alongside technological and generational changes.
Video: https://youtu.be/_fbLCA1TaWE?si=7IVn8r5y8PrDCEPD
