The 2025 Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF) concluded on 10 November 2025 in Abuja, with the Nigerian film Safari receiving the Golden Jury Award for Overall Best Film.
The festival ran from 6 to 10 November, with the theme “From Script to Nation: The Role of Film in Shaping National Identity.”
Safari also received two additional awards. Obi Emelonye won Outstanding Director, and Osas Ighodaro received Outstanding Actress.
Other winners at the festival included Dead Tide for Outstanding Actor, Six Kings & Six Queens (South Africa) for Outstanding Documentary, and Kakanda (Nigeria) for Outstanding Feature Film (Nigeria).
Echoes From the Past (United Kingdom) received Outstanding Short Film (Foreign), while Bridge My Little Friends (Japan) received Outstanding Animation Film.
Earlier in Lagos on 9 November 2025, the 21st Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) recognised films across Africa and the diaspora in 26 categories. South Africa’s The Heart Is a Muscle and Burkina Faso’s Katanga: The Dance of the Scorpions received the highest number of awards, with four each.
The Heart Is a Muscle, directed by Imran Hamdulay, received Best Film, Best Debut Feature by a Director, Achievement in Cinematography, and Achievement in Editing. Katanga: The Dance of the Scorpions, directed by Dani Kouyaté, received Best Director, Achievement in Screenplay, Achievement in Costume Design, and the Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language.
Nigeria’s 3 Cold Dishes received Achievement in Production Design and Best Nigerian Film. Ruby Akubueze received Best Young/Promising Actor for her role in the film.
Acting honours also went to Lateef Adedimeji, who won Best Actor in a Leading Role for Lisabi: The Uprising, and Florence Mariserena, who won Best Actress in a Leading Role for Small Gods (Uganda/UK).
Tina Mba received Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Serpent’s Gift, and Clement Ashiteye of Ghana received Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Last Stop.
A new recognition category, the AMAA Connect Honour, was presented for the first time. The recipients were Dr. Kafayat Shafau (Kaffy), Ali Baba, Mike Dada, Didier Drogba, and Lancelot Imasuen, for their contribution to African arts, creative industries, and community development.
