The Directors Guild of Nigeria has unveiled the full list of nominees for its 2026 awards, with the announcement arriving less than two weeks before The Directors Week and DGN Awards 2026 opens in Lagos from 18th to 21st August 2026.
The nominees will compete across nine categories spanning feature filmmaking, comedy, first-time directing, documentary, diaspora productions, social impact, television series, short films, and student filmmaking. The nominations cover different areas of Nigerian directing across cinema releases, web series, documentaries, short films, and student productions.
In the Best Feature Film category, six films are in contention: The Masked King directed by Patrick Uduak-Obong, To Adaego With Love directed by Nwamaka Chikezie, 3 Cold Dishes directed by Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi, Njem directed by Uche Chukwu, Idia directed by Ese Ariremu and Jide Oyegbile, and Original Sin directed by Frederick Leonard.
The Best Comedy category features two nominees: Home and Away directed by Ajalaja Stanfame Stanley and Local Trouble directed by Frederick Leonard, making Frederick Leonard a double nominee in the feature categories.
The Best First-Time Director category is contested by two films, To Adaego With Love directed by Nwamaka Chikezie and Idia directed by Ese Ariremu and Jide Oyegbile.
The Best Documentary category carries the widest field of nominees with seven films: Not Addressing This Anymore directed by Huzzain Bello, One Voice Many Echoes directed by Oyinlomo Sule, Beyond Olympic Glory directed by Shedrack Salami, Re-Activate directed by Perekeme W. Odon, No Let Dem Die directed by Ogochukwu Umeadi, Gba Esin Wa directed by Victor Eyike, and Iron Condemn directed by Offie Darlington.
The Best Diaspora category features Echoes from the Past directed by Ayodeji Sanni, Water Girl directed by Nnamdi Kanaga, and Woke directed by Abimbola Olagunju.
The Best Social Impact category nominates 3 Cold Dishes directed by Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi, Through Her Lense directed by Ambassador Willie Workman Oga, and I Am Awele’s Daughter directed by Offie Darlington, making Offie Darlington a double nominee across Documentary and Social Impact.
The Best Series category features The Split directed by Oluwaseun Akinseloyin and Mgbuka directed by Daniel Izu Eze and Olusola Roberts Iwaotan.
The Best Short Film category has six nominees: The Noise Around Her Black directed by Odaro Eguavoen, Hold Me Let Me Go directed by Brenda Garuba, Nneoma directed by Stella Damasus, On The Move directed by Gbenga Adeoti, Sanctuary directed by Victor Adeogun, and Visiting Hour directed by Gbovo Eriamiantoe.
The Best Student Film category closes the nominations with seven entries: Procrastination directed by Amara Smith, Hush directed by Odaro Eguavoen, Arodan directed by Ayodeji Omotayo Sanni, Behind The Hopeless Walls directed by Paul Ajisafe, Echo directed by Ayodeji Sanni, Still Here directed by Ene Patrick Oche, and Iyiola directed by Gabriel Adaramoye.
The DGN Awards Night holds on 21st August 2026 and will bring together directors, filmmakers, actors, producers, investors, government representatives, corporate leaders, and media executives to celebrate excellence in directing. It forms part of The Directors Week 2026, which will also feature the DGN Annual General Meeting, masterclasses, fireside conversations, industry panels, and networking sessions focused on the future of directing and the Nigerian creative industry.
