AMVCA 2025: The Challenge of Inclusion and the Path to Becoming Africa’s Oscars
The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) has, for over a decade, stood as one of the most prestigious recognitions for African film and television. As the industry continues to expand, the AMVCAs have played a crucial role in highlighting the talent that makes African cinema vibrant. However, for an award that seeks to celebrate the continent’s creative excellence, its scope remains significantly limited, raising questions about true inclusivity. This year’s edition is a testament to both the progress made and the challenges that still persist.
A Year of Excellence: AMVCA 2025 Highlights
The 2025 edition of the AMVCAs has given us plenty to talk about. With 27 categories, it’s clear that Africa’s film industry is evolving. The biggest winner in nominations this year is Seven Doors, with an impressive 11 nods, including ‘Best Lead Actor’ for Femi Adebayo and ‘Best Lead Actress’ for Chioma Akpota. Adebayo is also nominated for ‘Best Director’ alongside Adebayo Tijani and Tope Adebayo, cementing his influence on the industry.
Other standout films include Lisabi: The Uprising, directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, with 10 nominations, including ‘Best Movie’ and ‘Best Lead Actor’ for Adedimeji Lateef. Skeleton Coast, a pan-African film directed by Robert Peters, surprised many with eight nominations, proving that cross-border storytelling is gaining recognition.
Jade Osiberu’s Christmas in Lagos also performed well with six nominations, showcasing the growing appreciation for diverse storytelling in Nollywood. While these films deserve their accolades, the nominations list also reveals a concerning pattern—one that questions the inclusivity of the awards.
The AMVCA Inclusion Dilemma
For an award show that claims to represent Africa’s best, the AMVCAs have historically leaned heavily towards Nollywood. While Nigeria’s dominance in the industry is undeniable, other regions with thriving film industries, such as North Africa, Central Africa, and parts of Southern Africa, are often underrepresented.
This year’s nominee list still reflects a bias towards Nigerian and West African productions. Films from South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania appear sporadically, and the representation from Francophone Africa is almost non-existent. This raises a critical question: Can the AMVCAs truly call themselves the definitive African awards when they fail to acknowledge a large portion of the continent?
There is also the issue of jury selection and voting power. While 18 of the 27 categories are decided by a panel of judges, only nine categories are left to the audience. The concentration of votes in regions with higher media penetration means that certain industries will always have an advantage over others. This raises concerns about whether some deserving films are being overlooked simply because they lack the resources or exposure to compete on this playing field.
A Step in the Right Direction: Recognizing Technical Excellence
One of the major positives of the 2025 AMVCAs is the introduction of new categories that recognize behind-the-scenes professionals. This year, the awards will feature Best Sound and Sound Design and Best Original Score and Music as separate categories. These additions acknowledge the importance of technical contributions to filmmaking, something that has long been overlooked in African awards.
Technical excellence is one area where African cinema can still improve. By creating dedicated categories for these professionals, the AMVCAs are sending a message that African films should not just be judged on acting and storytelling alone but also on the craftsmanship that makes them world-class productions.
The Need for Expansion and Strategic Growth
If the AMVCAs want to position themselves as Africa’s version of the Oscars, they need to expand beyond their current structure. Here’s how:
Broaden Geographic Representation: The awards should actively seek and encourage submissions from every region of Africa, including North and Central Africa. Creating a category specifically for Francophone and Arabic-language African films could be a start.
Increase Jury Diversity: Ensuring that the judging panel is representative of the entire continent will help eliminate biases in nominations and award selections.
Encourage More Cross-Country Collaborations: Skeleton Coast proved that pan-African productions can work. The AMVCAs can use their platform to promote more co-productions across borders.
Make the Voting Process More Accessible: The public voting system should be restructured to ensure equal representation. If voting is only accessible via digital platforms with limited reach in some African countries, certain films will always be at a disadvantage.
Host the Awards in Different Countries: The AMVCAs have always been held in Nigeria. While Nollywood is a driving force, taking the event to other parts of Africa would reinforce its continental identity.
Conclusion: The Future of the AMVCAs
There’s no denying that the AMVCAs remain a critical platform for African creatives. However, as the continent’s film industry grows, the awards must evolve with it. This year’s nominations showcase an impressive lineup of films, but they also expose gaps in representation.
If the AMVCAs can overcome these challenges and implement structural changes, they have the potential to become the true Oscars of Africa—an award that every filmmaker across the continent aspires to win. The conversation about inclusion is not just about fairness but about the AMVCAs solidifying their status as the ultimate African film and television awards.
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A curious mind exploring the crossroads of creativity and insight.