Love and New Notes has emerged as the frontrunner for the 2026 Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards, securing nine nominations, including Movie of the Year, Director of the Year and Best Actor, as organisers unveil the nominees for the 18th edition, scheduled to take place in Enugu State this November.
Also making headlines is actress Osas Ighodaro, who earned two nominations in the Best Actress category for her performances in Colors of Fire and 3 Cold Dishes. She will compete against Scarlet Gomez (Behind the Scenes), Mercy Aigbe (Everything Is New Again), Sharon Ooja (Ordinary People) and Nse Ikpe-Etim (Devil Is a Liar).
The Best Actor category is equally competitive, featuring Bucci Franklin for The Creek, Kanayo O. Kanayo for Grandpa Must Obey, Jide Kene Achufusi for Aba Blues, Timini Egbuson for Love and New Notes, Uzor Arukwe for Colors of Fire and Wale Ojo for 3 Cold Dishes.
In the supporting categories, Mike Ezuruonye (Fehintola), Kelechi Udegbe (The Creek), Jide Awobona (Ile), Akeem Ogara (Aisiki), Prince Nelson Enwerem (Aba Blues), Abba Ali Zaky (The Herd) and Ibrahim Suleiman (Evi) are competing for Best Supporting Actor.
Meanwhile, Eniola Badmus (Love and New Notes), Destiny Etiko (Behind the Scenes), Damilola Oni (Aisiki), Nancy Isime (Everything Is New Again), Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman (The Herd) and Bisola Aiyeola (Gingerrr) make up the Best Supporting Actress nominees.
Beyond Ighodaro's double Best Actress recognition, several performers have secured nominations across different categories. Timini Egbuson, nominated for Best Actor in Love and New Notes, also features twice in the Best Kiss category, alongside Sophie Alakija in Love and New Notes and Bolaji Ogunmola in Ajosepo 2: The Gathering, bringing his total to three nominations. Mercy Aigbe also combines her Best Actress nomination for Everything Is New Again with a Best Kiss nomination alongside Vine Olugu in the same film.
Jide Kene Achufusi is nominated for Best Actor in Aba Blues and Best Kiss alongside Angel Anosike, who is also nominated for Most Promising Actress for the film. Abba Ali Zaky features in both Best Supporting Actor and Most Promising Actor for The Herd, while Vine Olugu is nominated for Most Promising Actor and Best Kiss for Everything Is New Again. Michael Dappa also earns recognition in the Most Promising Actor and Best Kiss categories for Day and Night.
The Best Indigenous Movie category presents another interesting contest, with six productions competing for the award: Agesinkole (King of Thieves) 2, Efunroye: The Unicorn, King Lotanna, Ile, Isipo and Olorisa. Among the contenders, Efunroye: The Unicorn stands out with seven nominations overall, including Movie of the Year, Director of the Year, Best Sound, Best Soundtrack, Best Production Design and Best Use of Makeup.
Agesinkole (King of Thieves) 2 is also recognised in the Best Costume, Best Production Design, Best Special Effects and Best Cinematography categories, bringing its total to five nominations. Meanwhile, Ile features in Best Supporting Actor and Best Production Design, while Olorisa has additional nominations in Most Promising Actor, Best Production Design and Best Use of Makeup.
The Most Promising Actor category features Michael Dappa (Day and Night), Vine Olugu (Everything Is New Again), Emmanuel Nse (Half-Light), Abba Ali Zaky (The Herd) and Oluwafemi Odugbesan (Olorisa).
In the Most Promising Actress category, Angel Anosike (Aba Blues), Sharon Rotimi (The Hole Within), Tomike Adeoye (Okanjuwa), Chisom Agoawuike (Half-Light) and Lizzy Jay (Si Olorun: A Letter to God) are in contention.
The awards will also recognise young talents through the Best Child Actor and Best Child Actress categories, with nominees including Fiyin Asenuga, Daniel Adeshina, Royal Aziomaku, Fisayo 'Abebi' Amodemaja, Michelle Onamade and Iremide Adeshina, among others.
In the overall nominations tally, Love and New Notes leads with nine, followed by The Herd with eight. The Creek, Aba Blues, Colors of Fire and Efunroye: The Unicorn have seven nominations each. Meanwhile, six productions are competing for the prestigious Movie of the Year award: The Creek, Aba Blues, Love and New Notes, Efunroye: The Unicorn, 3 Cold Dishes and The Herd.
The same six films also feature in the Director of the Year category, with Toka McBaror, Jack'enneth Opukeme, Kayode Kasum, Bayo Tijani and Abbey Lanre, Asurf Oluseyi and Daniel Etim Effiong nominated for their respective productions.
As previously reported by SCREENNOLLY in July, four prominent industry figures — veteran actor Pete Edochie, actress and filmmaker Ruth Kadiri, veteran actress Peju Ogunmola and filmmaker Steve Sodiya — have been named recipients of the 2026 BON Special Recognition Awards.
Edochie is being honoured for his decades-long contribution to acting and his portrayal of culturally significant characters, while Kadiri is recognised for her achievements as an actress, producer and screenwriter, particularly her contributions to YouTube-based Nollywood filmmaking.
Ogunmola's recognition celebrates her contributions to stage and screen and the promotion of indigenous culture, while Sodiya is being honoured for his work in film editing, directing and mentoring emerging talents.
Together, the four honourees represent different generations of Nollywood, each having contributed to the industry's growth and development.
Although organisers have yet to announce the exact date and venue, the 18th edition of the Best of Nollywood Awards is scheduled to take place in Enugu State in November 2026, with Governor Peter Mbah playing host. The event is also expected to showcase the state's tourism attractions.
Founded in 2009 by Seun Oloketuyi, the BON Awards recognise achievements across acting, directing, screenwriting and technical filmmaking, celebrating productions in English and indigenous Nigerian languages.
- Jimi D Baldheaded Guy