Lateef Adedimeji’s Lisabi: The Uprising, Tina Mba, and Burna Boy’s co-produced 3 Cold Dishes were among the Nigerians and films that shone brightly at the 2025 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).
On Sunday, November 9, 2025, the board of the Africa Film Academy (AFA), organisers of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), held the 21st edition of the continental awards ceremony amidst pomp and celebration at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
The five-hour-long ceremony kicked off with a performance by the Ebony Band and ended with great joy and excitement for African film practitioners who were winners and nominees alike.
The event also featured a short stage drama with Pete Edochie playing the role of God and Tony Umez portraying a man making inquiries.
AMAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe, delivered the opening speech, after which six members of the jury—elegantly dressed—were called to the stage to present the list of 26 winners.
In his speech, Anyiam-Osigwe praised Nigerian and African film practitioners, saying their accomplishments have propelled African cinema to international recognition.
“We salute Nollywood, its stars, and all the creatives who have contributed to its phenomenal success. Your accomplishments have propelled African cinema to international recognition, and AMAA honours your industry, your talent, and your contributions.
But as remarkable as Nigeria’s film industry is, we are reminded of a popular African adage that says a tree does not make a forest. Nigeria is a vital and vibrant member of our continent, but her finest contribution comes when she complements the whole—when African nations rise together through collaboration, not competition,” Anyiam-Osigwe said.
Not long after the CEO’s speech and the announcement of the night’s award winners, the Rizyn Band took over the stage to entertain the 300 guests who attended the ceremony.
A total of 26 awards were presented to African film practitioners, including actors, cinematographers, producers, costume designers, lighting operators, and others.
Efere Ozako Award for Best Short Film
- The Missing Piece – Kenya
- Vandals – Mozambique
- Echoes From The Past- Nigeria/UK
- Abu Judy -Egypt
- Chikha-Queen – Morocco
- MIA – Burkina Faso
- Stigma – Tunisia
- Lee’s Waxul – Senegal – WINNER
- The last Harvest – Cape Verde
Jibril Malafia Award for Best Animation
- Dawn – Cameroun
- My Brother, My Brother- Egypt/France/Germany – WINNER
- The Travails of Ajadi – Nigeria
- Nkizzi’s First Day – Uganda
- Amara and the Spirit of Nyamagunda – Uganda
- Monologue – Nigeria/UK
Best Documentary
- The Journey East – DRC
- Double Minority – Nigeria
- The Empty Grave – Tanzania/UK
- Khartoum – Sudan/UK – WINNER
- Ancestral Visions of the Future -Lesotho/France/Germany
Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language
- Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso – WINNER
- Small Gods – Uganda/UK
- Lukas – Namibia
- Lobola Man – South Africa
- Lisabi: The Uprising – Nigeria
- The Heart is a Muscle – South Africa
Michael Anyiam Odigwe Award for Best Film by an African Living Abroad
- Lemohang Jeremiah – ‘Ancestral Visions of the Future’ -Lesotho/France/Germany – WINNER
- ‘Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions’ – (B/Faso)
- Khartoum – Ibrahim Snoopy – Sudan
Best Diaspora Short
- Cartes – USA
- Superman Doesn’t steal – USA – WINNER
- Harvest – USA
Best Diaspora Documentary
- The Billy Preston Story – USA
- Carnival: ‘They Can’t Steal Our Joy – Canada
- Missing Rio Doce – Brazil/France
- Rediscovering Fenon – USA/Algeria/Martinique – WINNER
Best Diaspora Narrative Feature
- Sisters Maid – Brazil
- Romeo N Juliet 4EVA – Jamaica – WINNER
- The Model, The Mannequin and Me – USA
Award for Achievement in Production Design
- Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions
- The Heart is a Muscle
- 3 Cold Dishes – WINNER
- Last Stop
- Red Circle
Achievement In Costume Design
- Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions – WINNER
- The Lost Days
- The Masked King
- The Serpent Gift
- Hunting Jessica Brok
Award for Achievement In Make-up
- Spelonk
- Lisabi: The Uprising – WINNER
- Amanayanbo
- The Masked King
- The Heart is a Muscle
Award for Achievement In Soundtrack
- Recall
- Freedom Way
- Old Righteous Blues – WINNER
- Kites
- Le Point- The Bridge
Award for Achievement In Visual Effects
- For Land, For Love, For Power – WINNER
- Lisabi
- Spelonk
- Hunting Jessica Brok
- Amanayanbo: The Eagle King
Award for Achievement In Sound
- Algiers – WINNER
- Old Righteous Blues
- Le Point – The Bridge
- Hunting Jessica Brok
- Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso
Award for Achievement In Cinematography
- 3 Cold Dishes
- Old Righteous Blues
- Spelonk
- Small gods
- For love, for land, for power
- The Heart is a muscle – WINNER
- Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso
Award for Achievement In Editing
- For Love, For Land, For power
- Spelonk
- The Heart is a Muscle – WINNER
- 3 Cold Dishes
- Algiers
Award for Achievement In Screenplay
- Old Righteous Blues
- Le Point – The Bridge
- For Love, For Land, For Power
- Small Gods
- Red circle
- Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso – WINNER
NFVCB Award for Best Nigerian Film
- Lisabi: The Uprising
- Recall
- Freedom Way
- The Serpent Gift
- Amanayanbo
- 3 Cold Dishes
- Red Circle
- The Masked King
Award for Best Young/ Promising Actor
- Alejandro Cooper- Lukas
- Turinayo Jatham – Small gods
- Tiwalola Adebola-Walter – Freedom Way
- Kisi Ogborueche – Kill Boro
- Ruby Akubueze – 3 Cold Dishes
Award For Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- Kojo Boakye – Two of a Kind
- Femi Jacobs – Freedom Way
- Clemento Ashietey – Last Stop – WINNER
- Abdulai Saidu Kamara – Code of Honor
Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
- Zohra Chetioui – Le Point- The Bridge
- Tina Mba – The Serpent Gift – WINNER
- Fadela Brown – Old Righteous Blues
- Bukky Wright – Red Circle
Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Keenan Arrison – The Heart is a Muscle
- Debebe Eshetu – For love, for land, for power
- Adjetey Anang – Last Stop- WINNER
- Lateef Adedimeji – Lisabi: The Uprising – WINNER
- Ayden Croy- Old Righteous Blues
- Bizimana Hussain – Small Gods
- Mahamadi Nana – Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso
- Nabil Asli – Algiers
Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
- Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman – The Serpent Gift
- Analisa Munyana – Mucoma: The Battle of the Couple
- Shaffy Bello – The Masked King
- Danica De La Ray Jones- Hunting Jessica Brok
- Getahun Hailu – For Love, For Land, For Power
- Florence Mariserena – Small gods – WINNER
- Meriem Medjkane – Algiers
- Osas Ighodaro, Fat Toure and Maud Guerard – 3 Cold Dishes
Award for Best Debut Feature Film by a Director
- The Lost Days – Wingonia Ikpi
- Small Gods- Asher Rosen
- Algiers- Chakib Taleb-Bendiab
- Kill Boro- Obayuwana Courage
- The Heart is a Muscle – Imran Hamdulay
- Freedom Way – Afolabi Olalekan
Award for Best Director
- Niyi Akinmolayan- Lisabi: The Uprising (Nigeria)
- The Heart is a Muscle – Imran Hamdulay (South Africa)
- Asurf Oluseyi – 3 Cold Dishes (Nigeria)
- Asher Rosen- Small Gods – (Uganda)
- Theodros Teshome -For Love, For Land, For Power (Ethiopia)
- Dany Kouyate – Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso – WINNER
- Kwabena Gwansah – Last Stop (Ghana)
- Chakib Taleb-Bendiab – Algiers (Algeria)
Award for Best Film
Lisabi: The Uprising (Nigeria)”
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 -B/Faso
Last Stop – Ghana
