The Critics’ Awards for Africa (TCAA) has launched to celebrate technical excellence and creative ambition in film and television. Unlike traditional ceremonies, according to a statement, nothe TCAA prioritizes artistic merit and craft over box-office success or popularity.
The inaugural Critics’ Awards for Africa will take place in the early weeks of the second quarter of 2026. Further details will be rolled out in the coming weeks.
Founded by Nigerian film journalist Oris Aigbokhaevbolo, TCAA is positioned as a critics-led intervention within Nigeria’s fast-expanding screen industries. The awards are designed to foreground ambitious writing, directing, editing, sound and performance at a moment when African cinema is attracting unprecedented global visibility. Marketing and production for TCAN are handled mainly by One Management, led by entertainment executive Emem Ema.
The awards will feature about a dozen competitive categories across film and television, including Best Film, Best Series, Best Documentary, Best Writing for Screen, Best Directing, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Performance, and Best Supporting Performance. To be eligible, films and shows would have to be released to the public between January and December 2025.
Nominees and winners will be selected by a jury composed predominantly of Nigerian critics, complemented by a smaller proportion of Western critics with sustained engagement with African and global cinema, alongside a limited number of experienced entertainment industry figures. This structure is intended to balance local critical authority with international perspective while maintaining independence.
TCAA founder Oris Aigbokhaevbolo said: “African cinema, and Nigerian cinema in particular, is increasingly discussed in terms of business growth, scale, and visibility, which is welcome. But filmmaking is also an art, so it makes sense to consider craft and artistic ambition: How our films are made, what they are trying to do, and how well they succeed in those terms.
“We have created this to centre excellence, artistry, intention and serious critical evaluation in African cinema. We’ll focus on Nigeria this year and move across the continent over the next few editions.”
Aigbokhaevbolo is a cultural writer whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Film Verdict, The Guardian, and Sight & Sound. He is the founder of Filmefiko.com, an African cinema-focused publication, and is widely recognised for his sustained engagement with Nigerian and African film within global contexts.
Beyond the awards ceremony, TCAA plans to develop industry conversations, curated screenings and archival initiatives aimed at contextualising Nigerian film and television for both domestic and international audiences.
Submission guidelines and more eligibility criteria will be announced in due course.
