BON Awards 2026 Goes To The Coal City: Osas Ighodaro, Timini Egbuson Score Big In Full Nominees List

The organizers of the Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards have officially released the highly anticipated nominees list for its 2026 edition, setting the stage for a spectacular celebration of cinematic excellence in the Coal City of Enugu.

Following a rigorous review by the jury, this year’s list reflects a dynamic mix of box office hits, critically acclaimed indigenous titles, and powerful social dramas. Leading the pack is the romantic drama Love and New Notes, which secured a staggering nine nominations, including the prestigious Movie of the Year, Director of the Year, and Best Actor. Closely trailing the frontrunner is the gripping feature The Herd with an impressive eight nominations.

The cinematic heavyweight tier features a formidable four-way tie. The Creek, Aba Blues, Colors of Fire, and the cultural epic Efunroye: The Unicorn each secured seven nominations across major technical and leading categories. Asurf Oluseyi’s 3 Cold Dishes also made a strong showing with six nominations, while Behind the Scenes and Agesinkole (King of Thieves) 2 bagged five nominations each.

The battle for the leading acting categories promises to be one of the fiercest in recent BON history. The Best Actor category will see industry veterans and leading men like 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) go head-to-head.

In a rare and remarkable feat, Osas Ighodaro secured double nominations in the Best Actress category for her stellar performances in both Colors of Fire and 3 Cold Dishes. She will vie for the crown against leading ladies Scarlet Gomez (Behind the Scenes), Mercy Aigbe (Everything Is New Again), Sharon Ooja (Ordinary People), and Nse Ikpe Etim (Devil Is a Liar).

As the BON Awards delegation and the Nollywood industry prepare to descend on Enugu, the 2026 edition is primed to be a landmark event, perfectly complementing the cultural warmth and progressive vision of the host state.

BON Awards 2026 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 – ÌWÈMỌ́

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. ÌRÈTÈ: 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 – Ek emini

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 Odugb esan – Olorisa

Most Promising Actress

1. Angel Anosike – Aba Blues

2. Sharon Rotimi – The Hole Within

3. Tomike Adeoye – Okanjuwa

4. Chisom Ago awuike – 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. ÌRÈTÈ: 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. ÌRÈTÈ: 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. ÌRÈTÈ: 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 Her