Nollywood actors Lateef Adedimeji, Tina Mba, alongside Lisabi: The Uprising and Burna Boy’s co-produced 3 Cold Dishes won big at this year’s Africa Movie Academy Awards [AMAA] held on Sunday, November 9 at Balmoral Convention Centre, Ikeja, Lagos.
While Lateed Adedimeji won Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in Lisabi: The Uprising, Tina Mba earned Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Serpent Gift.
Ruby Akubueze clinched Best Nigerian Film and Best Young/Promising Actor for 3 Cold Dishes. Co-produced by Afrobeats singer, Burna Boy and actress Osas Ighodaro, the multilingual thriller follows three women from Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Benin who reunite years after surviving human trafficking to exact revenge on their abusers.
Organised by the Africa Film Academy, the 5-hour ceremony kicked off with a performance by Ebony Band. The event also had a short stage play featuring veteran actors Pete Edochie and Tony Umez.
In his remarks, AMAA’s Chief Executive Officer, Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe
hailed 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 through collaboration, not competition,” he said.
Anyiam-Osigwe’s speech was followed by the presentation of awards for the night. A total of 26 plaques were presented to African film practitioners that include actors, cinematographers, producers, costumiers, and light operators.
There were musical performances by Made Kuti, Rizyn Band, and DJ Kenchello. African film practitioners who passed away between January and November 2025 were also honoured.
The winners’ list:
Best Film: The Heart is a Muscle – South Africa
Best Film in an African Language: Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions (Burkina Faso)
Eferé Ozako Award for Best Short Film: The Missing Piece (Kenya)
Jubril Malafia Award for Best Animation: Dawn (Cameroun)
Best Documentary: The Journey East (DRC)
Best Diaspora Short: Cartes (USA)
Michael Anyiam Osigwe Award for Best Film by an African Living Abroad: Ancestral Visions of the Future (Lesotho/France/Germany)
Achievement in Costume Design: Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions
Achievement in Sound: Algiers
Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language: Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso
Best Diaspora Short: Superman Doesn’t Steal – USA
Best Diaspora Documentary: Rediscovering Fenon – USA/Algeria/Martinique
Best Diaspora Narrative Feature: Romeo N Juliet 4EVA – Jamaica
Award for Achievement in Production Design: Cold Dishes
Achievement In Costume Design: Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions
Award for Achievement In Make-up: Lisabi: The Uprising
Award for Achievement In Soundtrack: Old Righteous Blues
Award for Achievement In Visual Effects: For Land, For Love, For Power
Award for Achievement In Sound: Algiers
Award for Achievement In Cinematography: The Heart is a muscle
Award for Achievement In Editing: The Heart is a Muscle
Award for Achievement In Screenplay: Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions
NFVCB Award for Best Nigerian Film: 3 Cold Dishes
Award for Best Young/ Promising Actor: Ruby Akubueze – 3 Cold Dishes
Award For Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Clemento Ashietey – Last Stop
Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Tina Mba – The Serpent Gift
Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role: Lateef Adedimeji – Lisabi: The Uprising
Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role: Florence Mariserena – Small Gods
Award for Best Debut Feature Film by a Director: The Heart is a Muscle – Imran Hamdulay
Award for Best Director: Dany Kouyate – Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso
AMAA 2025 in Pictures
