Femi Adebayo’s Seven Doors dominates AMVCA11 with Best Lead Actor & Actress wins, as Nollywood legends Sani Mu’azu and Nkem Owoh score Lifetime Achievement honours.
At the 11th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards held on 10 May 2025 in Lagos, Femi Adebayo’s historical epic Seven Doors stormed the ceremony, seizing both Best Lead Actor for Adebayo himself and Best Lead Actress for Chioma Chukwuka.
The series also triumphed in Best Score/Music, cementing its status as this year’s Nollywood juggernaut.
The night further honoured industry veterans Sani Mu’azu and Nkem Owoh with Lifetime Achievement Awards, while director Kayode Kasum earned the Trailblazer Award.
With Lateef Adedimeji’s Lisabi: The Uprising continuing its award-winning streak and a host of fresh talent lauded across 27 categories, AMVCA11 showcased the continent’s rich storytelling, technical mastery, and cultural resonance.
Overview of AMVCA11
A Night to Remember
The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, organised annually by MultiChoice’s Africa Magic channels, marked its 11th edition on Saturday, 10 May 2025, at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.
Established in 2013, the AMVCAs honour both on-screen and behind-the-scenes excellence in African film and television, blending audience votes with jury decisions to crown the continent’s creative best.
Celebrating Pan-African Storytelling
AMVCA11 drew luminaries from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya and beyond, underscoring African cinema’s boom on global platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
As viewers streamed red-carpet glamour via Africa Magic channels and social media hashtags #AMVCA11, the ceremony reinforced its reputation as Nollywood’s Oscars equivalent.
Seven Doors: The Crowned Jewel
Behind the Generational Curse
Seven Doors is an ambitious Nigerian historical drama series crafted by Femi Adebayo, Tope Adebayo and Adebayo Tijani for Netflix and Euphoria 360.
Set in 18th- and 19th-century Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, it follows King Adedunjoye (Femi Adebayo), a hesitant monarch ensnared by an ancestral curse. To lift the hex, tradition demands he marries six additional wives—opening “seven doors”—despite his profound love for his queen, Amaka (Chioma Chukwuka).
Artistic Vision and Production
Shot on location in historic Yoruba palaces, the series blends elaborate costume design, evocative score by Tolu Obanro, and sweeping cinematography by Leo Purman to evoke a bygone era.
Costume and art direction nod to traditional Odùduwà regalia, while the score weaves indigenous percussive rhythms with orchestral motifs to underscore the drama.
Triumphs of Femi Adebayo and Chioma Chukwuka
Femi Adebayo’s Magnetic Reign
Stepping into the lead role, Femi Adebayo brought regal poise and emotional depth to Adedunjoye, navigating the king’s moral dilemma with nuanced gravitas.
His win for Best Lead Actor at AMVCA11 reaffirms his stature as one of Nollywood’s most versatile performers.
Chioma Chukwuka’s Powerful Portrayal
Award-winning actress Chioma Chukwuka, receiving Best Lead Actress, imbued Amaka with steely resolve and heartbreak.
Unable to attend, she had her accolade accepted by Adebayo, marking a poignant moment of artistic solidarity on stage.
Honouring Veterans and Trailblazers
Lifetime Achievement Awards
Industry stalwarts Sani Mu’azu and Nkem Owoh were recognised for decades of service, their bodies of work spanning hundreds of films and television productions that paved the way for today’s Nollywood ecosystem.
Trailblazer Award
Director Kayode Kasum clinched the Trailblazer Award for his genre-bending approach in titles such as Sugar Rush, bringing fresh narratives and technical innovation to mainstream Nigerian cinema.
Other Standout Winners
Aside from the Seven Doors juggernaut, the awards celebrated a diversity of talents:
- Best Movie: Freedom Way (Blessing Uzzi)
- Best Director: Awam Amkpa (The Man Died)
- Best Supporting Actor: Gabriel Afolayan (Inside Life)
- Best Supporting Actress: Mercy Aigbe (Farmer’s Bride)
- Best Indigenous Language (West Africa): Lateef Adedimeji & Adebimpe Oyebade (Lisabi: The Uprising)
- Best Cinematography: Leo Purman (The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos)
- Best Score/Music: Tolu Obanro (Seven Doors)
- Best Unscripted Series: Kefa Igilo & Jerryson Onasaa (Wa Milele?)
Full list of winners may be found via Africa Magic’s official channels.
The Undeniable Impact on Nollywood
A New Creative Zenith
With Seven Doors’ critical acclaim and box-office success on streaming platforms, the series raises the bar for production values and historical narratives in Nollywood.
Its fusion of authentic cultural aesthetics and universal themes of love, duty and destiny promises to attract international co-productions and festival invitations.
Boosting the Global Footprint
AMVCA11’s global livestream and follow-up coverage on Reuters, AFP and AP underscore Africa’s rising soft power.
As Seven Doors and Lisabi garner awards and streaming viewership, they spotlight the continent’s storytelling prowess and bolster Nigeria’s cinematic exports.
Conclusion
AMVCA11 was a landmark celebration of African creativity, anchored by Seven Doors’ sweeping wins and a salute to storied veterans.
As the continent’s storytellers continue to push boundaries, this year’s awards mark both a homage to tradition and a clarion call for Nollywood’s global ascendancy.
- Additional report from Omonigho Macaulay
