Winners and Lifetime Achievement Honorees Announced at 12th AMVCA in Lagos

Queen Mercy Atang wore a dress made from more than 500 loaves of bread at the 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards, one of the most talked-about looks at an event known for theatrical fashion. The dress was designed by Toyin Lawan of Tiannah's Empire. Atang stated that the outfit was designed to promote her bread-baking business.

Atang said. Toyin Lawan commented on Instagram that she is beginning a trend of "everyone wear your business". The AMVCA was held at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, Nigeria. The awards ceremony celebrates achievements in African film, television and digital storytelling.

This year's red carpet featured several celebrities with dramatic and oversized outfits that required assistants to help carry them through crowds of photographers and screaming fans. The best dressed category was removed this year. Ghanaian fashion star Nana Akua Addo wore a silver architectural dress inspired by Cologne Cathedral in Germany.

The dress was designed by Abasswoman. The design process for Nana Akua Addo's dress began in November 2025 and was completed two days before the ceremony. Nigerian actress Uche Montana wore a red-and-gold-feathered ensemble representing "fire" and "the rising of the phoenix".

Uche Montana's fiery ensemble had been in development since the beginning of 2026. She received the AMVCA Trailblazer Award. Uche Montana stated that she had spent "a lot" on her look and that "a lot of financial and mental work goes into these looks".

Actor and event host Simi Drey hosted the 12th AMVCA wearing a dress entirely made from glass designed by Ovems. Away from the fashion, Bucci Franklin won the AMVCA Best Supporting Actor award for his role as "Oboz" in "To Kill a Monkey". Bucci Franklin dedicated his award to his mother, whom he lost seven days before the release of "To Kill a Monkey".

Linda Ejiofor won both the AMVCA Best Lead Actress award for "The Serpent's Gift" and the Best Supporting Actress award for "The Herd".

She told the BBC she had hoped to win at least one category but her husband had predicted she could win both. "My Father's Shadow" won the AMVCA awards for Best Movie, Best Director and Best Writing. "My Father's Shadow" was directed by Akinola Davies Jr.

"My Father's Shadow" is the first Nigerian film to be an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival, with the selection occurring in 2025. Uzor Arukwe won the AMVCA Best Lead Actor award for "Colours of Fire".

Kanayo O. BBC News reported that the event once again transformed the awards show into a spectacle of style, with celebrities competing as much for best-dressed attention as for the awards themselves.

Additional red carpet appearances included digital creators and actors in sculpted dresses and culturally inspired outfits, though none matched the immediate social media reaction to the bread dress.