The 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards held on Saturday night at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, delivered emotional speeches, glamorous red carpet moments, surprise victories and controversial losses that immediately sparked conversations across social media.
While “My Father’s Shadow” dominated the night with five major awards, several actors, filmmakers, content creators and blockbuster productions left the ceremony without the wins many fans expected.
Below are some of the biggest snubs from the 2026 AMVCA:
Funke Akindele – ‘Behind The Scenes’
Funke Akindele emerged as one of the most discussed snubs after losing the Best Supporting Actress category to Linda Ejiofor for “The Herd.”
Her film “Behind The Scenes,” which grossed over N2bn at the Nigerian box office and dominated online conversations throughout the year, also failed to win Best Movie despite fan predictions.
Many movie lovers believed her role as Adetutu Fernandez in the black tax-themed drama deserved stronger recognition after she topped several fan polls organised by blogs and entertainment platforms before the awards night.
Scarlet Gomez
Scarlet Gomez was also widely mentioned online after failing to secure a major acting win despite praise for her performance in “Behind The Scenes.”
Fans argued that her role carried emotional depth deserving of stronger awards recognition.
‘Gingerrr’ with nine nominations
Despite securing nine nominations, “Gingerrr” failed to convert its strong nomination count into major victories.
The film featured stars including Kie Kie, Wunmi Toriola, Bisola Aiyeola and Bolaji Ogunmola, who were co-producers on the project which dominated the box office and is currently streaming on Kava and Netflix
Some viewers expected the project to dominate the ceremony after months of strong publicity, social media buzz and audience support.
Daniel Etim-Effiong – ‘The Herd’
Daniel Etim-Effiong was another notable snub.
Although “The Herd” secured several nominations and won through Linda Ejiofor’s performance, fans believed Daniel deserved recognition for both his directorial work on the project.
Genoveva Umeh
Genoveva Umeh also failed to secure a win despite receiving praise for her role in “The Herd.”
Many fans expected her emotionally charged performance to stand out in the acting categories after strong reviews. She was nominated in the Best Actress category.
Akwaman’s “Did I just hear Muah”
Content creator Akwaman dominated online polls and conversations in the Best Digital Content Creator category but failed to emerge victorious.
His nominated entry, “Did I just hear Muah” drove internet conversation and became a meme after the skit went viral in 2025.
Social media users had strongly backed him because of his street-style comedy, relatable storytelling and culturally driven skits that gained massive traction online in the past year.
However, the award eventually went to Emmanuel Kanaga and Sophia Chisom for “Leave to Live”, whose force gave high votes.
Taooma
Taooma once again left the ceremony without a win despite being one of the category’s most recognisable and consistent nominees.
The skit maker was nominated in the Best Digital Content Creator category for her comedy content, which continued to trend heavily across TikTok, Instagram and X throughout the eligibility year.
Steve Chuks
Steve Chuks also failed to win despite generating strong support online.
The content creator, known for his humourous cinematic-style skits and relatable storytelling content, was heavily backed by fans ahead of the awards.
Many viewers expected him to challenge strongly for the category after another successful year online.
Femi Adebayo
Femi Adebayo was another actor many fans believed deserved recognition as Best Lead Actor on Saturday.
His role in “Agesinkole 2” which showed in community cinemas in December 2025, generated conversations ahead of the awards but failed to secure major wins.
Kemi Adetiba – ‘To Kill A Monkey’
Kemi Adetiba and her project “To Kill A Monkey” also recorded mixed fortunes at the ceremony.
Despite her project securing eight nominations and winning technical categories, the project lost major awards, including Best Scripted Series, after an earlier nomination snub in the Best Director category.
Oscar Heman-Ackah – ‘To Kill A Monkey’
Oscar Heman-Ackah was nominated for Best Music Score for “To Kill A Monkey” but lost to Duval Timothy and CJ Mirra for “My Father’s Shadow.”
‘The Real Housewives of Lagos’
The Real Housewives of Lagos, by content executives Darey Art-Alade and Deola Art-Alade, also failed to win Best Unscripted Series despite its popularity and strong online following.
Many reality television fans expected the show to secure the category based on its cultural impact and dominance in entertainment conversations throughout the year.
Heartwarming moment amid the snubs
Veteran actress Sola Sobowale received a well-deserved Industry Merit Award (Lifetime Achievement recognition) for her outstanding career in Nollywood.
Her energetic performance in Her Excellency (Adebayo Salami production) was celebrated, and she brought smiles to the audience when she playfully teased Linda Ejiofor during her acceptance speech.
Similarly, veteran actor Kanayo O. Kanayo was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award despite losing out on Best Actor for Grandpa Must Obey.
These recognitions for Nollywood legends helped soften some of the disappointment surrounding other snubs and brought heartfelt moments to the night.
As reactions continue trailing the ceremony, the snubs have once again highlighted the unpredictable nature of award shows, where fan expectations, online popularity and jury decisions often do not align.
