At a colourful ceremony held on Monday in Victoria Island, Lagos, industry leaders, filmmakers, and actors gathered to celebrate the evolution of Nigerian cinema. The event, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), underscored the achievements and milestones that have shaped the country’s movie landscape over the past year.
Two productions emerged as the frontrunners of the night — Seven Doors and Abanisete — leading with nine and eight nominations, respectively. Both films dominated top categories such as Best Director, Best Actor, and Movie of the Year, underscoring their critical and popular success. They are closely followed by Farmer’s Bride and My Mother Is a Witch, which earned multiple nominations across creative and technical segments.
The Best Actor category is a powerhouse lineup, featuring Ibrahim Yekini (Abanisete), Gideon Okeke (Blackout), Femi Adebayo (Seven Doors), Razaq Adoti (Son of the Soil), Tobi Bakre (Farmer’s Bride), and Jide Awobona (Inspector Jero).
In the Best Actress category, the nominees are Folu Storms (Red Circle), Gbubemi Ejeye (Farmer’s Bride), Padita Agu (Blackout), Efe Irele (My Mother Is a Witch), Chioma Chukwuka (Seven Doors), and Florence Nwachukwu (Fury).
Adding a touch of levity, the Best Kiss category pits popular on-screen couples against each other, with nominations including Tobi Bakre and Gbubemi Ejeye (Farmer’s Bride), Timini Egbuson and TJ Omusuku (Reel Love), Kunle Remi and Tope Olowoniyan (The Party), Padita Agu and Demola Adedoyin (Planning Forever), and Tobi Bakre with Folu Storms (Red Circle).
For Best Director, the nominees are Niyi Akinmolayan (My Mother Is a Witch), Adebayo Tijani and Tope Adebayo (Abanisete), Adebayo Tijani and Jack’enneth Opukeme (Farmer’s Bride), Tope Adebayo and Adebayo Tijani (Her Excellency), Toka McBaror (The Waiter), and Adebayo Tijani, Tope Adebayo, and Femi Adebayo (Seven Doors).
The prestigious Movie of the Year category features Abanisete, My Mother Is a Witch, Farmer’s Bride, The Waiter, Her Excellency, and The Serpent’s Gift, each recognized for excellence in storytelling and production design.
In a nod to the evolving content landscape, the Best Series category makes its debut, with The Party and Seven Doors earning nominations — a clear signal of Nollywood’s expanding investment in serialized narratives for digital platforms and television.
Supporting role categories also feature strong contenders. Stan Nze (The Serpent’s Gift), Femi Branch (Owambe Thieves), Adedimeji Lateef (Red Circle), Buchi Franklin (The Waiter), Taye Arimoro (Son of the Soil), and Neo Akpofure (My Mother Is a Witch) are vying for Best Supporting Actor, while Mercy Aigbe, who bagged double nominations for My Mother Is a Witch and Farmer’s Bride, leads the Best Supporting Actress field alongside Bolaji Ogunmola (Longing), Tina Mba (The Serpent’s Gift), Susan Jimah (Take My Breath Away), and Kehinde Bankole (Iyalode).
Social impact remains a major focus for the BON Awards. The Best Social Message category features films that highlight justice, empathy, and human dignity — including Out in the Darkness, My Mother Is a Witch, Fury, Longing, Mayomi, Blackout, and Single Mother.
Other competitive categories showcase Nollywood’s deepening technical expertise.
- Best Costume nominees: Owambe Thieves, Abanisete, Iyalode, Labake Olododo, Seven Doors, Olomi, and The Serpent’s Gift.
- Best Sound: Red Circle, Agemo, Anjola, Fury, Reel Love, Ewu Ife.
- Best Soundtrack: My Mother Is a Witch, Take My Breath Away, Olomi, Durotimi, and The Serpent’s Gift.
- Best Use of Food, a fan-favourite category celebrating cultural expression through cuisine, includes Owambe Thieves, Longing, Alakada: Bad and Boujee, 07.03 (The 7th of the 3rd), and Farmer’s Bride.
The Best Child Actor category highlights emerging young talent, featuring Ahmad Isa (Finding Nina), Yoma Davidson (Den of Safety), Royal Aziomaku (Seven Doors), and Adeshina Daniel (Telephone). For Best Child Actress, nominees include Ijelu Folajimi (Son of the Soil), Darasimi Nadi (Agemo), Diva Owoniyi (Den of Safety), Kamdi Ugochukwu (A Ride with Forever), and Angel Unigwe (In My Circle).
In the discovery categories, Razaaq Adoti (Son of the Soil), Yomi Orimadegun (The Boy from the Window), Korede Lawal (On Our Skin), and Abduazeem M. Ibrahim (Finding Nina) are shortlisted for Most Promising Actor, while Dolapo Oyebamiji (Olomi), Lila Idoko (I Am Anis), Sylvia Ebere (Flipside), Sunshine Rosman (Son of the Soil), and Temitope Luqman (Durotimi) compete for Most Promising Actress.
Technical excellence will also be rewarded through categories such as Best Production Design, Best Screenplay, Best Special Effects, Best Documentary, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Indigenous Movie, and Best Makeup, with top contenders like Seven Doors, Abanisete, Iyalode, The Waiter, and Labake Olododo dominating nominations.
The 2025 Best of Nollywood Awards will hold on December 14 in Lagos, and promises a night of glamour and celebration — including a Guinness World Record attempt for the longest red carpet.
With the introduction of new categories and a strong mix of creative, technical, and cultural representation, the BON Awards continues to affirm Nollywood’s growing global stature and its relentless pursuit of storytelling excellence.