Filmmaker Mildred Okwo has suggested that the 2026 edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards may be the final one, raising concerns over the future of the popular entertainment awards platform.

Okwo remarked in a post shared on X on Monday.

“I will be very surprised if this AMVCA is not the farewell edition,” she wrote.

Her comment comes amid discussions about the commercial viability of the awards, especially following recent ownership changes involving MultiChoice and its evolving business strategy.

In another post, the filmmaker argued that the new owners may not be willing to continue funding projects that do not generate strong returns quickly.

“I doubt the new owners will be interested in shows that don’t make a serious ROI in the first few years of buying the business. It costs a lot of money to produce that show,” she wrote.

The concerns come as MultiChoice continues to focus on its streaming platform, Showmax, as a major part of its future growth strategy amid rising competition in the digital entertainment sector.

Organisers of the awards had earlier confirmed that voting for the 12th edition had closed, with winners scheduled to be announced on May 9.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Africa Magic thanked viewers for participating in the voting process.

“And that’s a wrap! Voting for #AMVCA12 is officially closed. Thank you for showing up, showing love, and backing your favourites all the way,” the organisers said.

They added, “Now we wait to see who takes home the wins on May 9th.”

The ceremony will be broadcast live across Africa Magic channels, with the red carpet beginning at 4:00 p.m. WAT and the main awards show starting at 7:00 p.m.

This year’s edition will feature 32 categories, including 18 jury-decided awards, 11 audience-voted categories, and three special honours, such as Lifetime Achievement and Trailblazer awards.

Veteran actress Joke Silva is serving as Head Judge for the 2026 edition, taking over from Femi Odugbemi.

Organisers also introduced two new categories, Best Indigenous Language Film (North Africa) and Best Indigenous Language Film (Central Africa), to strengthen the awards’ pan-African representation.

The uncertainty surrounding the AMVCA follows developments in July 2025, when French media company Canal+ secured approval to acquire the remaining shares in MultiChoice.