Nollywood stars Lateef Adedimeji and Tina Mba, alongside 3 Cold Dishes, a film co-produced by Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy, were among the major winners at the 2025 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) held in Lagos on Sunday night.
The 21st edition of the prestigious awards took place at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Ikeja GRA, celebrating outstanding achievements across Africa’s film industry.
3 Cold Dishes, co-produced by Burna Boy and Osas Ighodaro, clinched two top honours: Best Nigerian Film and Best Young/Promising Actor for Ruby Akubueze. The multilingual thriller tells the story of three women from Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Benin, who reunite years after escaping human trafficking to avenge their past tormentors.
In the acting categories, Lateef Adedimeji won Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in Lisabi: The Uprising, while Tina Mba took home Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Serpent Gift.
The five-hour ceremony, organised by the Africa Film Academy (AFA), opened with a lively performance by the Ebony Band and featured several cultural and musical interludes.
Delivering the opening remarks, Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe, CEO of AMAA, applauded African filmmakers for elevating the continent’s storytelling to international standards.
“We salute Nollywood and all creatives whose accomplishments have earned African cinema global recognition. Nigeria is vibrant, but her finest contribution comes through collaboration, not competition,” he said.
South Africa’s The Heart Is a Muscle emerged as the biggest winner of the night, earning Best Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Debut Feature for director Imran Hamdulay.
Burkina Faso’s Katanga: Dance of the Scorpions also made a strong showing, taking home awards for Best Film in an African Language, Best Screenplay, and Best Costume Design.
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A stage drama featuring Pete Edochie and Tony Umez captivated audiences, while musical performances by Made Kuti, Rizyn Band, and DJ Kenchello electrified the hall. A special tribute segment honoured African film legends who passed away between January and November 2025.
Notable attendees included Bukky Wright, Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey, Lancelot Imasuen, Jide Achufusi, and former Lagos Commissioner Uzamat Yusuf.
Here is a full list of winners – AMAA 2025
• NFVCB Award for Best Nigerian Film: 3 Cold Dishes
• Best Young/Promising Actor: Ruby Akubueze – 3 Cold Dishes
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Clemento Ashietey – Last Stop
• Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Tina Mba – The Serpent Gift
• Best Actor in a Leading Role: Lateef Adedimeji – Lisabi: The Uprising
• Best Actress in a Leading Role: Florence Mariserena – Small Gods
• Best Debut Feature Film by a Director: The Heart Is a Muscle – Imran Hamdulay
• Best Director: Dany Kouyaté – Katanga: Dance of the Scorpions (Burkina Faso)
• 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 – Cameroon
• 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
• Best Diaspora Documentary: Rediscovering Fenon – USA/Algeria/Martinique
• Best Diaspora Narrative Feature: Romeo N Juliet 4EVA – Jamaica
• Achievement in Production Design: 3 Cold Dishes
• Achievement in Make-Up: Lisabi: The Uprising
• Achievement in Soundtrack: Old Righteous Blues
• Achievement in Visual Effects: For Land, For Love, For Power
• Achievement in Cinematography: The Heart Is a Muscle
• Achievement in Editing: The Heart Is a Muscle
• Achievement in Screenplay: Katanga: Dance of the Scorpions – Burkina Faso
