To Adaego With Love and The Herd will represent Nigeria in the Best Film contest at the 22nd Africa Movie Academy Awards, according to Punch's October 24 report. The nominations were announced in Lagos, with the awards ceremony scheduled for November 15 at the Marriott Hotel. The shortlist brings Nigerian productions into comparison with work from several other African film industries.
Nine titles from six countries were named in the Best Film field. The reported contenders include South Africa's The Trek and Ben Made It, and Ghana's The Fisherman. This is a continental category rather than a domestic Nollywood contest, so the Nigerian entries sit within a wider selection of storytelling traditions and production settings.
Uganda's Slum Bomber and Kenya's One Woman, One Bra each received 14 nominations overall. To Adaego With Love had 11, The Herd 10 and Colours of Fire nine. These figures describe nominations across categories, not trophies already awarded. A large total can reflect recognition in several parts of filmmaking without deciding the final outcome.
Daniel Etim-Effiong, who directed The Herd, was nominated for directing, debut feature and leading actor. Other Nigerian performers also appear across the awards programme. The range of categories matters because acting, directing and the work of a debut filmmaker ask judges to assess different contributions, even when they are connected to one production.
AMAA executive Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe presented the selection as evidence of varied African storytelling and congratulated nominees before the final decisions. His comments describe the organisers' view of the field. They do not establish a ranking of national industries or guarantee that the film with most nominations will collect the main award.
The November ceremony is the next announced decision point. Until then, the nominations offer a viewing map for audiences interested in films beyond one national market. Each title remains a work to encounter on its own terms, with award recognition providing a route to discovery rather than a substitute for watching it.