The nominees for the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) have been released.
The Best Lead Actress award is one of the most anticipated categories of the awards.
Here is a closer look at the eight actresses who have been nominated for this category.
1. Linda Ejiofor – The Serpent’s Gift
Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman was nominated for her powerful performance in the critically acclaimed film ‘Serpent’s Gift,’ marking a major milestone in her career.
Her portrayal of Ijeoma Sylvanus, a woman of elegance, mystery, and quiet strength whose world is shattered by the sudden death of her wealthy husband, Nduka Sylvanus, a man respected by many but truly known by few, has been praised for its emotional depth and subtlety. ‘Serpent’s Gift,’ directed by Kayode Kasum, explores themes of grief, resilience, and family legacy.
2. Bimbo Akintola – To Kill A Monkey
Bimbo Akintola plays the lead role of Inspector Mo Ogunlesi in the 2025 TV series To Kill a Monkey, written, produced, and directed by Kemi Adetiba. She portrays a dedicated police investigator dealing with complex cases in this dark crime drama. The character is described as a high-stakes, commanding presence in the series.
ALSO READ: ‘Gingerrr,’ ‘To Kill A Monkey’ Lead AMVCA 2026 Nominees (See Full List)
3. Sola Sobowale – Her Excellency
Sola Sobowale plays a lead role as Moyeni, a powerful and commanding political figure who controls the life of an influential politician in the 2025 Nollywood film Her Excellency. Her character navigates a high-stakes drama involving a murder investigation that threatens to expose her carefully hidden secrets.
Directed by Adebayo Tijani and Tope Adebayo Salami, it focuses on the theme of women’s power, featuring an ensemble cast including Bimbo Ademoye, Femi Adebayo Salami, and Odunlade Adekola.
4. Genoveva Umeh – The Herd
Umeh also described the movie as her most emotionally demanding role yet, as it required her to navigate the trauma of a kidnapping survivor, including physically challenging scenes.
5. Scarlet Gomez – Behind The Scenes
Behind the Scenes, a Nollywood drama produced by Funke Akindele, centers on Aderonke Faniran, who plays the role of Scarlet Gomez, a successful real estate entrepreneur whose life is overwhelmed by her family and friends’ constant demands. The story explores themes of Black tax, betrayal, and self-love, as Aderonke, pushed to her breaking point, tackles the emotional, financial, and moral struggles of her situation.
6. Gloria Anozie-Young – Mother of the Brides
In the 2025 Africa Magic series Mother of the Brides, Gloria Anozie-Young’s portrayal of Nehita Mai Sisis Silva-Whyte has earned her a Best Lead Actress nomination at the 2026 AMVCA. As the matriarch of the family, her character fights to maintain her family’s social status and legacy after her husband dies without a will, maneuvering through grief, pride, and societal expectations.
The series is a drama focused on the high-stakes world of wealthy families.
7. Ariyike ‘Dimples’ Owolagba—Something About The Briggs
Written, produced, and directed by Bukola Ogunsola, Something About the Briggs captures the complexities of love and marriage within the backdrop of a wealthy, influential family.
Ariyike Dimples plays the role of Sophie Briggs, a single, successful corporate lawyer who is deeply skeptical about marriage after witnessing the troubled relationships of her family members. But when she meets Chuks Obi (Daniel Etim Effiong), a charming PR firm owner who believes in love and commitment, her worldview is challenged.
8. Ifeoma Fafunwa – The Lost Days
Wealthy Lagos-based business mogul Chisom Agu, played by Ifeoma Fafunwa, gets a new lease on life when she’s told her cancer is in remission. Chisom is at a crossroads, driven by a sudden urgency to confront a past she’s left buried for decades. She leaves her only daughter and jets all the way to Abeokuta to be with Kolawole (Bimbo Manuel)—her one true love, the one who got away 30 years ago because their parents wouldn’t allow an intertribal marriage.
The Lost Days is directed by Wingonia Ikpi.