Africa Magic Awards: A look at AMVCA top contenders for 2025

It’s yet another interesting time for African movie lovers as the 11th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) is shaping up to be a celebration of African film at its best. Four standout movies have captured the spotlight this year: Seven Doors, Lisabi: The Uprising, Skeleton Coast, and Christmas in Lagos. These films received the […]

It’s yet another interesting time for African movie lovers as the 11th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) is shaping up to be a celebration of African film at its best. Four standout movies have captured the spotlight this year: Seven Doors, Lisabi: The Uprising, Skeleton Coast, and Christmas in Lagos. These films received the highest number of nominations and are strong contenders in several key categories.

Organised by MultiChoice and Africa Magic, the AMVCA remains one of the most respected award shows in Africa. It recognises the best talent in film and television—celebrating actors, directors, writers, and technical experts whose work continues to push the boundaries of storytelling.

Leading this year’s nominations is Seven Doors, with eleven nods. Following closely is Lisabi: The Uprising with ten. Skeleton Coast comes in with eight, while Christmas in Lagos stands strong with six. Each of these films tells a different story, but together, they reflect the growth and richness of African cinema.

 

Seven Doors – 11 nominations

Directed by Femi Adebayo (with Tope Adebayo and Adebayo Tijani as co-directors), Seven Doors leads the 2025 AMVCA with 11 nominations. It has been recognised in both performance and technical categories, showing the strength of its overall production.

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It was nominated for best indigenous language (west africa), best lead actor (femi adebayo), best lead actress (chioma akpotha), best supporting actor, best director, best sound design, best scripted series, best writing (tv series), best make-up, best art direction, best music score

The series begins with a mysterious and chilling scene; seven women take their own lives. It’s confusing at first, but this moment becomes one of the key turning points in the story.

At the heart of the story is Adejundoye (Femi Adebayo), a peaceful man who loves his wife, Amaka (Chioma Akpotha), and their two children. One day, he’s told it’s his family’s turn to rule as king in Ilara Kingdom. Though he refuses several times, he eventually accepts the crown. That’s when everything starts to go wrong.

The kingdom begins to experience serious troubles. The chief priest tells him the solution lies in opening “seven doors” like his ancestors did—meaning he must marry six more women to cleanse the land. Adejundoye refuses, but after tragedy strikes and their daughter dies, he agrees. The new wives cause problems, and Amaka suffers greatly. In frustration, Adejundoye sends them all away. But peace still doesn’t return. The gods are angry again—this time, they threaten to take his only son.

Seven Doors is filled with unexpected twists and emotions. Each episode draws you in deeper, and the final reveal is both surprising and powerful.

Femi Adebayo gives a strong performance, but Chioma Akpotha as Amaka truly shines. Her character, an Igbo woman married to a Yoruba king, had to learn Yoruba for the role, making her performance even more impressive. The film is rich in visuals—stunning cinematography, beautiful costume design, and traditional elements that blend culture and modern storytelling. At its core, Seven Doors speaks of love, sacrifice, and how the choices of the past can shape the future.

 

Lisabi: The Uprising – 10 nominations

This historical epic by director Niyi Akinmolayan has earned ten nominations, reflecting its strong storytelling and cultural relevance.

Nominated for best movie, best indigenous language (West Africa), best lead actor (Lateef Adedimeji), best costume design, best supporting actor (Ibrahim Chatta), best cinematography, best sound design, best make-up, best editing, best art direction, Lisabi is praised not only for its message but for its performances and technical excellence.

Directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, Lisabi: The Uprising is a 1 hour, 47-minute historical film that tells a powerful story of resistance and courage. It follows the Egba people’s struggle under the heavy rule of the Oyo Empire.

The story begins in the Olodan Kingdom, where King Olodan (Femi Adebayo) refuses to continue paying the high tributes demanded by the Alaafin of Oyo (Odunlade Adekola). As punishment, he is publicly beaten and killed. After his death, the people are forced to continue paying tributes through food, money, and other valuables. The tribute collectors, led by Sangodeyi (Ibrahim Chatta), become brutal; attacking, raping, and killing the people without mercy.

One of the victims is Osokenu (Adebowale Adedayo, also known as Mr. Macaroni), a kind but misunderstood farmer. His new bride Abebi (Roseline Afije) is raped on their wedding day and takes her own life. Filled with grief, Osokenu speaks out and is killed.

Lisabi (Lateef Adedimeji), a hardworking farmer and friend of Osokenu, can no longer stay silent. He starts organising secret meetings disguised as farming groups, which slowly grow into a full rebellion. But the big question remains: can Lisabi lead his people to freedom, or will he suffer the same fate as those before him?

The film beautifully showcases Yoruba culture—the language, costumes, music, and village settings feel authentic and rich. The acting is solid, with Lisabi’s quiet strength and humility standing out. While some scene transitions are a bit sudden at first, the story becomes clearer as it progresses. The ending hints that Lisabi’s story might not be over yet, suggesting a possible sequel.

At its heart, Lisabi: The Uprising shows the power of unity. It reminds us that when ordinary people come together with one voice, they can stand against injustice and change their future.

 

Skeleton Coast – 8 nominations

Skeleton Coast is a visually stunning film directed by Robert O. Peters and produced by Mondjila and Play Network Studios. Set in the Namib Desert, the film is a story of survival and tenacity. It has received eight AMVCA nominations for Best Movie, Best Director, Best Lead Actor (Thapelo Mokoena), Best Supporting Actress (Ini Dima-Okojie), Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound Design, and Best Music Score.

The plot revolves around a group of people stranded in the harsh desert, fighting both natural and human danger. The film’s appeal comes in its stunning cinematography and engaging performances, particularly those of Mokoena and Dima-Okojie. The photography portrays the immensity and beauty of the desert, while the sound design draws the audience into the characters’ deadly trip.

 

Christmas in Lagos – 6 nominations

There’s just something about celebrations in Nigeria that hits differently—especially when it’s in Lagos. The lights, the music, the food, and of course, the love. Christmas in Lagos is one of those feel-good movies that pulls you right into that Detty December spirit, and I honestly enjoyed every bit of it.

Directed by Jadesola Osiberu, and nominated for The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award(AMVCA), this film follows the story of Fiyin(Teniola Aladese), a young woman who believes her best friend Elo(Shalom C. Obiago) is the love of her life. But just when she thinks this December might finally be the one, Elo returns from abroad with a surprise fiancée. What follows is a mix of laughter, and lots of emotional moments.

Alongside Fiyin’s story, we also get to see Gbemi(shaffy Bello), Fiyin’s single mother(widowed) torn between her current boyfriend and a complicated past.

There are other love stories too: Ivie(Rayxia Ojo) and Ajani (Ladipoe), a delivery man who plays guitar at night, start to fall for each other. Then there’s Chisom(Obinnan Christian) and Ladi(Tris Udeh), whose playful back-and-forth adds some extra laughs.

The cast really did a great job. Their performances felt natural, especially Zach (Richard Mofe Damijo) who gave me some of the funniest moments in the film—I’m glad Gbemi was able to see through his play boy tactic. And can we talk about the French caterer? That character had me laughing out loud.

The music too was amazing! Right from the first scene, the soundtrack just sets the vibe. With appearances from some of Nigeria’s popular artists, you could really feel the rhythm of Lagos. The soundtrack alone could carry this movie, but thankfully, the performances are just as strong.The visuals in this film are stunning as it makes Lagos shine with light.

Now the question here is, will Fiyin end up with Elo or let him go? Will Gbemi follow her heart, or will she hold on to the past? You’ll have to watch to find out.