According to an official awards wrap-up published by BellaNaija on May 13, 2026, the 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) has concluded with historic wins for Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman and Uzor Arukwe. The two screen stars were crowned Best Lead Actress and Best Lead Actor respectively, solidifying their statuses at the pinnacle of the African film industry.
Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman made history for her performance in the critically acclaimed film *Behind The Scenes*, a project that completely dominated the box office over the past year. Uzor Arukwe secured his elite status by winning for his stellar performance in *My Father’s Shadow*, which also walked away with the coveted Best Movie accolade.
The star-studded event, which was hosted by comedic icon Bovi Ugboma and South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha, marked a bold new era for African cinema. Major corporate brands like Guinness Nigeria made historic debuts as multi-brand sponsors, bringing a high-fashion, premium atmosphere to the red carpet.
Validating the prestigious outcome, premium culture outlet Pulse Nigeria covered the event live, noting that “the 2026 winners list reflects a perfect balance of cinematic excellence and commercial appeal.” Furthermore, the official Africa Magic Instagram handle @africamagic posted a celebratory reel of the winners, stating, “Congratulations to our leading lights for defining the gold standard of Nollywood storytelling this year.”
The sweeping victories for *Behind The Scenes* and *My Father’s Shadow* demonstrate that Nollywood’s voting academy and audience are increasingly aligning toward high-production-value, emotionally complex cinema. This recognition will drastically increase the licensing power of the winning projects on global streaming platforms. Expect both Ejiofor-Suleiman and Arukwe to command record-breaking fees for their upcoming film projects.
Source: This Day Live — https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/05/16/how-nollywood-star-linda-ejiofor-made-history-at-2026-amvca/ May 13, 2026
Photo Credit: Instagram
