Veteran Nigerian movie stars Sola Sobowale and Kanayo O. Kanayo have been honoured with the Industry Merit Award at the 2026 edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.

The duo received the awards on Saturday night during the 12th AMVCA ceremony held at Eko Hotel and Suites.

The awards recognised their decades-long contributions to the Nigerian movie industry and their influence as two of Nollywood’s most celebrated screen icons.

Speaking after receiving her award, Sobowale expressed gratitude to God, the organisers, her colleagues, fans, and especially her children for supporting her career journey.

“I want to specially thank God Almighty for keeping till this day to have this. I thank my children. Thank you to all my colleagues. I thank my fans because without you ‘Ko si Shola’ (there’s no Shola) It truly is an honour. Thank you all for making me still relevant. Mi o ti de (Expect more from me). I love you all,” she said.

Kanayo, in his acceptance speech, dedicated the recognition to film practitioners across Africa and praised the role of the entertainment industry in fostering unity on the continent.

The AMVCA remains one of Africa’s biggest entertainment award platforms, celebrating excellence in film, television, and digital content creation across the continent.

Watch the video below:

Hannah Johnson

Hannah Johnson is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over three years of professional experience in reporting, storytelling, and digital content creation. She blends traditional reporting skills with a modern, digital-first approach to journalism, producing content tailored for both web and social platforms. Hannah is skilled at turning complex topics into clear, engaging, and relatable stories that resonate with a wide audience. Her work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a strong commitment to accurate, audience-focused journalism.

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