Seven Doors tops 2025 AMVCA nomination shortlists

The organisers of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards have announced the nominees for the 2025 edition of the annual awards. The nominations, covering film, television, and digital content, recognise works released between January 1 and December 31, 2024. Among the top contenders, Lisabi: The Uprising, Skeleton Coast, House of Ga’a, and Freedom Way secured multiple nominations across various categories, including Best Movie and Best Director. In the acting categories, Gideon Okeke (Tokunbo), Stan Nze (Suspicion), Femi Adebayo (Seven Doors), and Adedimeji Lateef (Lisabi: The Uprising) were nominated for Best Lead Actor, while Chioma Chukwuka (Seven Doors), Bimbo Ademoye (Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre), and Uche Montana (Thinline) are among those vying for Best Lead Actress. Below is the full list of nominees: Best Digital Content Creator Iyo Prosper Adokiye Maryam Apakagi-Greene Elozonam Ogbolu, Hoviare Freedom, Chiamaka Uzokwe Jide Pounds Ibitoye Ariyiikedimples, Brain Jotter Best Multichoice Talent Factory MovieGone (West Africa) Everything Light Touches (West Africa) The Immersive Alarm (East Africa) Deadbeat (East Africa) Mwananga (Southern Africa) Rivals in Time (Southern Africa) Best Unscripted M-Net Original Nigerian Idol Pastor Wants A Wife (Zambia) Overall Best Husband Material The Queens of Kopala Best Scripted M-Net OriginalUriri All Mine My Fairytale Wedding Italo The Caller Kam U Stay Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa) Seven Doors Lisabi: The Uprising Kaka Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre Mai Martaba Best Indigenous Language Film (East Africa) The Caller Makosa Di Tangu Sabotage Best Indigenous Language Film (South Africa)Walvis Tale The Vow Mwizukanji Man of Gold Lukas Best Indigenous M-Net OriginalMai Shayi The Caller Show Me The Way Ebighi Ebi Subterranea Onye Agbata Obim Amoanimaa’s Era Best Short Film Sukari Brukaci What Are You Truly Afraid Of? In Bloom: ‘Afefe’ The Incredible Sensational Fiancee of Seyi Ajayi Best Supporting ActressMeg Otanwa – Inside Life Tina Mba – Suspicion Ireti Doyle – All’s Fair in Love Ini Dima-Okojie – Skeleton Coast Mercy Aigbe – Farmer’s Bride Omoni Oboli – The Uprising: Wives on Strike 3 Darasimi Nnadi – Aburo Best Supporting Actor Gabriel Afolayan – Inside Life Adedayo Adebowale Macaroni – Lisabi: The Uprising Aliu Gafar – Seven Doors Femi Jacobs – Freedom Way Richard Mofe-Damijo – Christmas In Lagos Uzor Arukwe – Suspicion Mike Afolarin – House of Ga’a Efa Iwara – Princess on a Hill Best Lead Actress Chioma Chukwuka – Seven Doors GbugbemI Ejeye – Farmer’s Bride Uzoamaka Onuoha – Agemo Uche Montana – Thinline Uzoamaka Aniunoh – Phoenix Fury Hilda Dokudo – The Uprising: Wives On Strike 3 Bimbo Ademoye – Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre Best Lead Actor Gideon Okeke – Tokunbo Bucci Franklin – The Weekend Femi Branch – House of Ga’a Thapelo Makoena – Skeleton Coast Bimbo Manuel – Princess On A Hill Stan Nze – Suspicion Femi Adebayo – Seven Doors Adedimeji Lateef – Lisabi: The Uprising Best Editing Inkabi Soft Love Lisabi: The Uprising Princess On A Hill Best Cinematography Yen Ara Asaase Ni (This Is Our Land) Inkabi The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos Skeleton Coast Soft Love Lisabi: The Uprising Agemo Best Sound/Sound Design Inkabi Seven Doors Freedom Way Lisabi: The Uprising Ajakaju: Beast Of Two Worlds Suspicion Best Score/Music Inkabi Freedom Way Seven Doors Soft Love keleton Coast Best Art Direction Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre Christmas In Lagos Farmer’s Bride Seven Doors The Man Died Lisabi: The Uprising Best Costume Design Toyin Ogundeji – Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre Bolanle Austen- Peters, Yolanda Okereke, Juliana Dede, Gloria Oyu – House Of Ga’a Oluwatoyin Balogun, Oyeade Adeimpe Adedimeji – Lisabi: The Uprising Opeyemi Sogeke – Phoenix Fury Adedamola Adeyemi – Christmas In Lagos Best MakeupAnikulapo: Rise of the Spectre Lisabi: The Uprising Seven Doors Farmer’s Bride Clarence Peters’ Inside Life Suspicion Best Writing TV Series Untying Kantai Tuki? Roses & Ivy Cheta’M Seven Doors Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre Princess On A Hill Best Writing in a Movie The Weekend Skeleton Coast Freedom Way Phoenix Fury A Ghetto Love Story House of Ga’a Christmas In Lagos Best DocumentaryWalvis Tale Dundun O.Y.O (On Your Own) Women of Salt: The Resilience of Ebonyi’s Women I Will Remember You Best Scripted SeriesClarence Peters’ Inside Life Seven Doors Princess On A Hill Cheta’M Roses & Ivy Best Unscripted Series Style Magnate Skillers The Builders Show) Ebuka Turns Up Africa Wa Milele? (Forever?) Uzoamaka Tries Palmwine Best Director Robert O Peters – Skeleton Coast Norman Maake – Inkabi Bolanle Austen-Peters – House of Ga’a Awam Amkpa – The Man Died Daniel Emeka Oriahi – The Weekend Femi Adebayo, Adebayo Tijani, Tope Adebayo – Seven Doors Best Movie Lisabi: The Uprising Skeleton Coast Suspicion Inkabi House of Ga’a Freedom Way Christmas in Lagos

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Côte d’Ivoire 2025: Flying Eagles to play group phase matches in Korhogo

Seven-time African champions, Nigeria will commence their participation in the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations finals with a game against the Young Pharaohs of Egypt on Wednesday, 30th April, at the 20,000-capacity Amadou Gon Coulibaly stadium in Korhogo. The encounter is billed to kick off at 5pm CIV time (6pm Nigeria time). The Flying will next take on Morocco’s Young Atlas Lions at the same venue, starting 8pm local time (9pm Nigeria time) on Saturday, 3rd May. Nigeria, who qualified for the finals following a successful defence of their WAFU B U20 Championship title in Lome in October 2024, will then wrap up their group B campaign with a session against South Africa, also in Korhogo on Tuesday, 6th May, starting from 5pm local time (6pm Nigeria time). The Flying Eagles, quarter-finalists at the last edition of the FIFA U20 World Cup in Argentina in 2023, are currently camping in Katsina, courtesy of the State Government, in the first phase of their final preparations for the continental championship. A semi-final spot in Côte d’Ivoire will guarantee the Eagles a spot in this year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Chile, 27th September – 19th October.

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NBBF releases programme of activities for 2025

The Nigeria Basketball Federation has released a comprehensive programme of activities for 2025, coming on the heels of its board meeting held earlier in January, 2025. The programmes of basketball activities which was ratified by the board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), led by its President Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida, has been termed by stakeholders and enthusiasts as ‘Consolidation Time’. Beginning from February 5-9, 2025, the Nigeria Senior Female Basketball team, D’Tigress are expected to feature in a friendly invitational tournament billed for Belarus; February 17-25, 2025, would see the D’Tigers participate in the 2025 FIBA AFRO Basket qualifiers taking place in Tripoli, Libya. Activities for March, 2025, include the 1st Phase of NBBF Divisions 1&2 2024 season; Finals of NBBF Divisions 1&2 2024 season, as well as, the 1st Phase Women Zenith Bank league Division 1. Also, there would be the NBBF Annual General Meeting (AGM) and stakeholders Forum, to hold between February/March at a venue to be decided. April 2025, begins with BAL Season 5, with Nigeria’s representatives Rivers Hoppers competing with other 11 teams in the championship holding respectively in Rabat, Morocco; Dakar, Senegal; Kigali, Rwanda and Pretoria, South Africa. Also in April 2025, there would be refresher courses for Technical Officials, in Lagos and Abuja. The 1st Phase of NBBF Men Premier Basketball League would hold across the country; there also would be the 1st Phase of Zenith Bank Women Premier league in two conferences. Activities for May-June 2025, includes the 1st Phase U19 Girls National camps in Nigeria/USA, for the World championship; followed by the National U16 & U18 Boys and Girls championship; the NBBF Board Meeting would also hold during this period. This period would also have the 2nd Phase of NBBF Men’s Premier Basketball League; 2nd Phase of Zenith Bank Premier Women league; as well as, national camp for U16 boys and girls, and FIBA Zone 3 U16 African Championship qualifiers (Boys & Girls). Between July- August, 2025, D’Tigress would open camp in Nigeria/USA for the FIBA Women’s Afro Basket 2025; followed by the National U19 Girls; And in July 25th – August 3rd, 2025, D’Tigress would be in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire to compete for the FIBA Women’s Afro Basket and Zenith Bank Women’s Premier league Conference finals would also hold. FIBA Men’s Afrobasket 2025, also holds 12th-24th August in Luanda, Angola, there would be also, the NBBF Men’s Premier league Conference finals and the FIBA African U16 championship (Boys & Girls) September, 2025, begins with finals of State preliminaries for Total National Division 2 championship; also in the month, there would be the NBBF Men’s Basketball League Final 8; Zenith Bank National Division 1, female national league eliminations. In October 2025, the NBBF Board Meeting would hold and also the Zenith Bank Women’s Premier league finals. There shall be also the 1st Phase of BAL Qualifiers and FIBA Africa 3 AWBL Qualifiers. November-December, 2025, begins with the Total National Divisions 1&2 league Divisional playoffs; knockout phase of the 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup. And then in December, 2025, we shall have the Total National Division 2 Conference playoffs; Elite 16 BAL Qualifiers 2025; FIBA AWBL 2025 finals; Total National Division 1&2 league finals; the NBBF AGM and Awards Night and lastly, the NBBF Board Meeting.

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National Teams will give Nigerians joy in Year 2025 – Gusau

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau MON, on Monday assured ball fans, administrators and Nigerians in general that the football-governing body will adequately prepare the various National Teams to bring joy and glory to the nation in the coming year. While reflecting on the outgoing year 2024 and projecting for the coming year 2025, Gusau, still delighted with the Super Eagles’ nonchalant dismantling of Ghana’s Black Galaxies to qualify for the 8th African Nations Championship, disclosed that the focus of the NFF is on ensuring the adequate preparation of all National Teams to credibly compete for honours at major tournaments, and not simply turn up to make up the number. “The era of Nigerian teams arriving at major championships just to participate is gone. Our objective now is to ensure that our teams can strongly contend for honours anywhere, and that can only be done by preparing the teams well ahead of qualifiers and competitions. I personally insisted that the Super Eagles B start their camping early enough and the result is what we can see in their display against Ghana. “The team has just one month to go before the CHAN tournament. That means they must go into camp immediately, and we will ensure that.” Gusau remarked that the outgoing year saw some impressive outings by the National Teams, though he is of the view that the Super Eagles’ under-par run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers has been a source of worry to administrators, enthusiasts and fans alike. “Our commitment is to see how we can cobble back that Super Eagles squad that did the nation proud at the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, coming within 23 minutes of lifting the trophy. If we can find a way to do that, we can be sure that the target of winning the six remaining matches in the qualifiers to gain automatic qualification to the World Cup is achievable. “Getting that FIFA World Cup ticket will set the momentum for a sterling outing at the AFCON in Morocco later in the year.” The NFF supremo also assured that the Super Falcons, who finished the year 2024 as Africa’s best-ranked team, will be afforded adequate preparation to reclaim the Women Africa Cup of Nations title in Morocco next summer. “We are in the process of organizing more friendly games for the team, in order to properly blend the old and new players to a formidable squad that will conquer Africa in style.” While praising the junior women national teams (Falconets and Flamingos) for their qualifications and participations at their different FIFA World Cup competitions this year, Gusau charged the girls to see the coming year as a period of consolidation, with the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals becoming an annual event. “The Flamingos, no doubt, have the ability to conquer the world. I have watched their matches and seen some real great talents who can even hold their own in the Super Falcons. However, we want to see them conquer the world in Morocco and bring home the U17 Women’s World Cup for the first time. The Falconets also have qualification matches to the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup to deal with. “For sure, it is a very busy year for us and for world football. The NFF is committed to working closely with the National Sports Commission to realize our goals and objectives, and also seek greater corporate support for our activities, programs and events. Our attention will remain on developing the game from the grassroots while ensuring that the production channels for players coming through to the National Teams are not disrupted.”

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FIFA unveils brand new Club World Cup trophy

Global football’s governing body FIFA have revealed a brand new trophy to accompany the relaunch of the Club World Cup in the summer of 2025. Manchester City will be present at the tournament hosted by the United States next summer following their success in the UEFA Champions League at the tail-end of their historic 2022/23 Treble-winning season. After the single-goal triumph over Inter Milan at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Manchester City would also qualify for the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, in which the club would emerge victorious on both occasions. Success in Saudi Arabia via wins over Urawa Red Diamonds and Fluminense would also mean that Manchester City would retain their status as World Champions for a period of two years, with FIFA opting to put the 2024 edition of the tournament on hold ahead of the expanded edition. 2025 will see the return of the FIFA Club World Cup in a new and expanded format, as a total of 32 teams will take to the stage across multiple stadiums in the United States, in what will also act as a warm-up for the nation ahead of co-hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2026. And alongside the arrival of a revamped tournament comes a revamped trophy, as unveiled by FIFA this week which implements a 24-carat gold-plated finish and multiple laser-engraved inscriptions all over. Those inscriptions also tell the story of football’s history, 13 languages, Braille and a world map, highlighting the spread and inclusivity of the global game, with the unveiling in anticipation of the Club World Cup draw taking place on Thursday 5 December. Manchester City’s involvement at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup opens up the prospect of the club partaking in around 70 matches across competitions this season, in what is becoming an increasingly concerning picture for global football athletes through such demands. Defensive midfield superstar and recently-crowned Ballon d’Or winner Rodri hinted at players from across the game taking matters into their own hands amid the growing fixture schedule, suggesting that strike action may be the only route to take in order for their voices to be heard. This week has seen Rodri’s club teammate Bernardo Silva also weigh in on the matter, as he said, “This break has been very beneficial for us. Let’s not deny it: it was a difficult time for our team.” He continued, “It had never happened to me in my career. At City, I can’t even remember losing two games in a row. “It’s [the break] done us good, because there are players who will be back from injury, and we have fresh heads to get back to our maximum level at this stage of the season.”

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Joshua, Fury fight must happen in 2025 – Hearn

The much-awaited heavyweight bout between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury must “definitely” take place by the end of 2025 or it will never happen, said promoter Eddie Hearn. A super-fight between two generational stars of British boxing has been mooted for several years but always stalled during negotiations. Joshua, 34, challenges Daniel Dubois for the IBF belt at Wembley Stadium on Saturday and Fury, 36, takes on Oleksandr Usyk – who holds the three other recognised world titles – in December’s rematch. “I do think AJ-Fury will happen regardless of whether Fury wins or not, but the size of the fight depends on their next two results,” Hearn told BBC Sport. In June, Joshua urged Fury to fight him while both boxers are still “fresh” but said he will not “sit around and wait” for his fellow British heavyweight. Asked whether there is a deadline of next year, Matchroom’s Hearn replied: “Yes, definitely.” With substantial investment into boxing from Saudi Arabia, there is new hope the bout will finally materialise. “If AJ beats Dubois and Fury beats Usyk, you’ve got the biggest fight in the history of the sport ever. If one loses and the other wins, it’s still a monster fight,” Hearn added. Joshua broke down in tears after a second consecutive defeat by Usyk in 2022, but worked himself back into a world-title mandatory challenger position with a four-fight winning streak. If he beats Dubois he will emulate greats Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko and Evander Holyfield by becoming a three-time heavyweight world champion. “The magnitude of the achievement will be something incredible if he can pull it off,” Hearn said. “We’re two wins away from undisputed and one win away from getting a fight to be undisputed. I truly believe he will still do it.” Joshua must first come overcome Dubois in front of a British post-war record of 96,000 fans, which will top the 94,000 set by Fury v Dillian Whyte in 2022. After Saturday’s event, around 480,000 spectators will have watched Joshua headline in six UK stadium fights. “People always ask me where the next AJ is coming from. You have to understand, this person is a one-off and there will never be another one,” added Hearn. “Whatever you think of his boxing ability, in terms of how he has transcended the sport, changed boxing by opening up stadium fights as part of the norm, it will never be repeated.” Joshua became world champion in 2016. He lost the title to Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019 before winning the rematch just six months later. Dubois, 27, will make a first defence of the title he won after he was upgraded from interim to full world champion when Usyk vacated the IBF belt. Although Dubois challenged Usyk in front of 40,000 fans in Poland last year, Hearn feels it “takes a specific kind of individual” to handle the pressure of topping a Wembley Stadium bill. “The media attention and frenzy, all the moments before the bell on fight night – you’ve got to hold your nerve when you walk through that tunnel in front of 96,000 people,” said Hearn. “For AJ this is bread and butter. He’s been there before and done it but he’s got the hunger and the desire. “Forget the money in the bank, he badly wants to become world champion again.”

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