Filmmaker Mildred Okwo has suggested that the ongoing edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards could be its final outing, raising concerns about the future of the popular awards platform.
In a post on X on Monday, Okwo wrote, “I will be very surprised if this AMVCA is not the farewell edition.”
Her comment comes amid conversations around the commercial viability of the awards, particularly following recent ownership changes involving MultiChoice and its evolving content strategy.
In a separate X post on Monday, the filmmaker with the username @MealdredO, argued that the awards may struggle to justify continued investment under new ownership.
“I doubt the new owners will be interested in shows that don’t make a serious ROI in the first few years of buying the business. It costs a lot of money to produce that show,” she wrote.
The concerns come at a time when MultiChoice has been doubling down on its streaming platform, Showmax, positioning it as a major driver of future growth amid increasing competition in the digital entertainment space.
PUNCH Online had reported that organisers have confirmed the close of voting for the 12th edition of the awards, with winners set to be announced on May 9.
In a statement shared on Sunday, Africa Magic thanked viewers for participating in the voting process.
“And that’s a wrap! Voting for #AMVCA12 is officially closed. Thank you for showing up, showing love, and backing your favourites all the way,” the organisers said.
They added, “Now we wait to see who takes home the wins on May 9th.”
The ceremony will be broadcast live across Africa Magic channels, with the red carpet scheduled for 4:00 p.m. WAT and the main awards show at 7:00 p.m.
This year’s edition features 32 categories, including 18 jury-decided awards, 11 audience-voted categories, and three special honours such as Lifetime Achievement and Trailblazer awards.
Veteran actress Joke Silva is serving as Head Judge for the 2026 edition, succeeding Femi Odugbemi.
Organisers also introduced two new categories, Best Indigenous Language Film (North Africa) and Best Indigenous Language Film (Central Africa), as part of efforts to strengthen the awards’ pan-African representation.
The speculation about the future of the AMVCA follows developments in July 2025, when French media giant Canal+ secured regulatory approval to acquire the remaining shares in MultiChoice.
The deal is expected to reshape the company’s operations across the continent, with a stronger focus on digital expansion and streaming platforms, raising further questions about the long-term sustainability of high-cost television events like the AMVCA.
