The organizers of the Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards have officially unveiled the full nominees list for its 2026 edition, setting the stage for a competitive celebration of cinematic talent in Enugu State.

Following a review by the jury, this year's roster highlights a mix of box-office titles, indigenous epics, and social dramas. Leading the nominations is the romantic drama 'Love and New Notes', which earned 9 nominations including Movie of the Year, Director of the Year for Kayode Kasum, and Best Actor for Timini Egbuson.

Daniel Etim Effiong's 'The Herd' follows closely with 8 nominations, while 'The Creek', 'Aba Blues', 'Colors of Fire', and 'Efunroye: The Unicorn' secured 7 nominations each across major categories. Asurf Oluseyi's '3 Cold Dishes' scored 6 nods, while 'Behind the Scenes' and 'Agesinkole (King of Thieves) 2' gathered 5 nominations apiece.

The leading acting categories present a strong lineup. The Best Actor category features Wale Ojo ('3 Cold Dishes'), Kanayo O. Kanayo ('Grandpa Must Obey'), Uzor Arukwe ('Colors of Fire'), Timini Egbuson ('Love and New Notes'), Jide Kene Achufusi ('Aba Blues'), and Bucci Franklin ('The Creek').

In the Best Actress category, Osas Ighodaro earned double nominations for her roles in both 'Colors of Fire' and '3 Cold Dishes'. She faces competition from Scarlet Gomez ('Behind the Scenes'), Mercy Aigbe ('Everything is New Again'), Sharon Ooja ('Ordinary People'), and Nse Ikpe Etim ('Devil is a Liar').

The 2026 BON Awards ceremony will take place in Enugu, celebrating technical achievement, performance, and storytelling across the Nigerian film industry.

FULL NOMINEES LIST

BEST ACTOR

  1. BUCCI FRANKLIN - THE CREEK
  2. KANAYO O. KANAYO - GRANDPA MUST OBEY
  3. JIDE KENE ACHUFUSI - ABA BLUES
  4. TIMINI EGBUSON - LOVE AND NEW NOTES
  5. UZOR ARUKWE - COLORS OF FIRE
  6. WALE OJO - 3 COLD DISHES

BEST ACTRESS

  1. SCARLET GOMEZ - BEHIND THE SCENES
  2. OSAS IGHODARO - COLORS OF FIRE
  3. MERCY AIGBE - EVERYTHING IS NEW AGAIN
  4. SHARON OOJA - ORDINARY PEOPLE
  5. NSE IKPE ETIM - DEVIL IS A LIAR
  6. OSAS IGHODARO - 3 COLD DISHES

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

  1. AKEEM OGARA - AISIKI
  2. MIKE EZURUONYE - FEHINTOLA
  3. KELECHI UDEGBE - THE CREEK
  4. JIDE AWOBONA - ILE
  5. PRINCE NELSON ENWEREM - ABA BLUES
  6. ABBA ALI ZAKY - THE HERD
  7. IBRAHIM SULEIMAN - EVI

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

  1. ENIOLA BADMUS - LOVE AND NEW NOTES
  2. DESTINY ETIKO - BEHIND THE SCENES
  3. DAMILOLA ONI - AISIKI
  4. NANCY ISIME - EVERYTHING IS NEW AGAIN
  5. LINDA EJIOFOR-SULEIMAN - THE HERD
  6. BISOLA AIYEOLA - GINGERRR

BEST KISS

  1. VINE OLUGU & MERCY AIGBE - EVERYTHING IS NEW AGAIN
  2. TIMINI EGBUSON & BOLAJI OGUNMOLA - AJOSEPO 2: THE GATHERING
  3. TIMINI EGBUSON & SOPHIE ALAKIJA - LOVE AND NEW NOTES
  4. MICHAEL DAPPA & PRINCESS OBUSEH - DAY AND NIGHT
  5. JIDE KENE ACHUFUSI & ANGEL ANOSIKE - ABA BLUES

BEST SOCIAL MESSAGE

  1. WRONG MUM
  2. 3 COLD DISHES
  3. THE HERD
  4. OVERSABI AUNTY
  5. DEJA'S SCREAM
  6. EVI

BEST SHORT FILM

  1. BOYS DON'T SING
  2. THE 9TH
  3. COLONY RED 2030
  4. DEAR ELLA
  5. SWEAT AND BLOOD
  6. CUT & SEW - IWEMO

BEST COSTUME

  1. A VERY DIRTY CHRISTMAS
  2. FEHINTOLA
  3. AGESINKOLE (KING OF THIEVES) 2
  4. AISIKI
  5. BEHIND THE SCENES
  6. COLORS OF FIRE

BEST SOUND

  1. OKANJUWA
  2. THE COVENANT
  3. EFUNROYE: THE UNICORN
  4. OVERSABI AUNTY
  5. BEHIND THE SCENES
  6. IDIA

BEST SOUNDTRACK

  1. SI OLORUN (A LETTER TO GOD)
  2. ARA ILE
  3. LOVE AND NEW NOTES
  4. EFUNROYE: THE UNICORN
  5. COLORS OF FIRE
  6. EVI

BEST USE OF FOOD

  1. GINGERRR
  2. COLORS OF FIRE
  3. AJOSEPO 2: THE GATHERING
  4. OKANJUWA
  5. IRETE: THE RECKONING

BEST INDIGENOUS

  1. AGESINKOLE (KING OF THIEVES) 2
  2. EFUNROYE: THE UNICORN
  3. KING LOTANNA
  4. ILE
  5. ISIPO
  6. OLORISA

BEST CHILD ACTOR

  1. ROYAL AZIOMAKU - ALECHENU
  2. DANIEL ADESHINA - IRIN AJO
  3. FIYIN ASENUGA - GRANDPA MUST OBEY
  4. NNAMANI CHIBUIKE WISDOM - THE 9TH
  5. TONYE TAM AZORBO - EKEMINI

BEST CHILD ACTRESS

  1. FISAYO 'ABEBI' AMODEMAJA - IRIN AJO
  2. MICHELLE ONAMADE - KIKIORE
  3. MARCELLA AIPOH - DEAR ELLA
  4. IREMIDE ADESHINA - IYE
  5. OKORIE EMMANUELLA - THE HOLE WITHIN
  6. FUTURE LOLO LAMAI - LOVE IN EVERY CELL

MOST PROMISING ACTOR

  1. MICHAEL DAPPA - DAY AND NIGHT
  2. VINE OLUGU - EVERYTHING IS NEW AGAIN
  3. EMMANUEL NSE - HALF-LIGHT
  4. ABBA ALI ZAKY - THE HERD
  5. OLUWAFEMI ODUGBESAN - OLORISA

MOST PROMISING ACTRESS

  1. ANGEL ANOSIKE - ABA BLUES
  2. SHARON ROTIMI - THE HOLE WITHIN
  3. TOMIKE ADEOYE - OKANJUWA
  4. CHISOM AGOAWUIKE - HALF-LIGHT
  5. LIZZY JAY - SI OLORUN (A LETTER TO GOD)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

  1. AGESINKOLE (KING OF THIEVES) 2
  2. COLORS OF FIRE
  3. IRETE: THE RECKONING
  4. ILE
  5. OLORISA
  6. EFUNROYE: THE UNICORN

BEST SCREENPLAY

  1. THE HERD
  2. THE CREEK
  3. 3 COLD DISHES
  4. THE COVENANT
  5. LOVE AND NEW NOTES
  6. SI OLORUN (A LETTER TO GOD)

BEST USE OF MAKEUP

  1. THE HERD
  2. EFUNROYE: THE UNICORN
  3. OLORISA
  4. IRETE: THE RECKONING
  5. A VERY DIRTY CHRISTMAS

MOVIE WITH THE BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS

  1. THE CREEK
  2. THE BEACON MAN
  3. COLORS OF FIRE
  4. IRETE: THE RECKONING
  5. AGESINKOLE (KING OF THIEVES) 2
  6. IDIA

BEST EDITING

  1. LOVE AND NEW NOTES
  2. IDIA
  3. A VERY DIRTY CHRISTMAS
  4. OKANJUWA
  5. THE BEACON MAN
  6. GRANDPA MUST OBEY

BEST DOCUMENTARY

  1. MARKED
  2. THE RHYTHM OF ANCESTORS: YORUBA BATA

BEST SERIES

  1. SCRATCH
  2. THE COVENANT
  3. ORDINARY PEOPLE

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

  1. BEHIND THE SCENES
  2. ABA BLUES
  3. AGESINKOLE (KING OF THIEVES) 2
  4. AJOSEPO 2: THE GATHERING
  5. LOVE AND NEW NOTES
  6. THE CREEK

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

  1. TOKA MCBAROR - THE CREEK
  2. JACK'ENNETH OPUKEME - ABA BLUES
  3. KAYODE KASUM - LOVE AND NEW NOTES
  4. BAYO TIJANI & ABBEY LANRE - EFUNROYE: THE UNICORN
  5. ASURF OLUSEYI - 3 COLD DISHES
  6. DANIEL ETIM EFFIONG - THE HERD

MOVIE OF THE YEAR

  1. THE CREEK
  2. ABA BLUES
  3. LOVE AND NEW NOTES
  4. EFUNROYE: THE UNICORN
  5. 3 COLD DISHES
  6. THE HERD