BON Awards unveil 2025 nominee list

… Awards, Guiness World Attempt can only happen in Lagos – Commissioner, Toke Benson

The highly anticipated Nominee List for the Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards 2025 was officially unveiled, setting the stage for one of Nigeria’s most prestigious annual film events. The announcement, held at Mayami, Lagos on Monday, defined the Nigerian movie industry over the past year.

The unveiling ceremony confirmed the fierce competition across 25 different categories, including the addition of the “Best Series” category, highlighting the growing significance of episodic content in Nollywood.

From major accolades like Movie of the Year and Best Director to unique, fan-favourite honours such as Best Kiss in a Movie and Best Use of Food in a Movie, the categories showcase the sheer depth and diversity of Nigerian filmmaking.

This year, the nomination list reveals a fierce competition at the top, dominated by two standout titles with nine and eight nominations respectively: ‘Seven Doors’ and ‘Abanisete’. These films have emerged as the leading contenders, securing nods across multiple major categories, including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Movie of the Year, Best Production Design, and Best Special Effects.

They are closely trailed by ‘Farmer’s Bride’ and ‘My Mother Is a Witch’, which also boast strong showings in the coveted acting and creative categories.

Beyond the major titles, the nominations list shines a spotlight on impressive individual achievements and the industry’s technical finesse. Key acting nominees include Ibrahim Yekini, Femi Adebayo, and Tobi Bakre vying for Best Actor, while Folu Storms, Gbubemi Ejeye, and Chioma Chukwuka compete for Best Actress.

For Best Director, the competition is intense with multiple nominations for renowned filmmakers like Adebayo Tijani (nominated across multiple films) and Niyi Akinmolayan (My mother is a witch).

The top prize, Movie of the Year, will be contested by films that resonated most with audiences and critics alike, including Abanisete, My Mother Is a Witch, and Farmer’s Bride.

Speaking at the unveiling, Hon. Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka explained that she knows that many are expectant seeing the awards return to Lagos this year. “Lagos is the home of excellence, the statee of aquatic splendour, so I know people are expectant.”

Speaking on the organisers’ Guinness World Record Attempt for Longest Red Carpet, Hon. Benson-Awoyinka stated that the plan to hold it on the new Coastal Road was only possible in Lagos, a state led by the visionary Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. “It’s because it is Lagos, that is the only reason you can have a runway on a highway,” she added.

For Mr Yinka Adebayo, Group Executive Director, West & Central Africa. Omnicom Media Group, who unveiled the nominees list alongside the commissioner, BON Awards returning to Lagos was a fantastic idea. “Doing this consistently for 17 years is something we must commend Seun Oloketuyi and his team for,” he explained.

The main BON Awards 2025 ceremony is scheduled to take place with Lagos as the host state come December 14, with a Guinness World Record Attempt for the Longest Red Carpet. It promises to be an even grander celebration of Nigerian cinema.

BON AWARDS 2025 Full List of Nominees

BEST ACTOR

1) Ibrahim Yekini – Abanisete

2) Gideon Okeke – Blackout

3) Femi Adebayo – Seven Doors

4) Razaq Adoti – Son of the Soil

5) Tobi Bakre – Farmer’s Bride

6) Jide Awobona – Inspector Jero

BEST ACTRESS
1) Folu Storms – Red Circle

2) Gbubemi Ejeye – Farmer’s Bride

3) Padita Agu – Blackout

4) Efe Irele – My Mother Is a Witch

5) Chioma Chukwuka – Seven Doors

6) Florence Nwachukwu – Fury

BEST KISS

1) Tobi Bakre & Gbubemi Ejeye – Farmer’s Bride

2) Timini Egbuson & TJ Omusuku – Reel Love

3) Kunle Remi & Tope Olowoniyan – The Party

4) Padita Agu & Demola Adedoyin – Planning Forever

5) Tobi Bakre & Folu Storms – Red Circle

BEST DIRECTOR

1) Niyi Akinmolayan – My Mother Is a Witch

2) Adebayo Tijani & Tope Adebayo – Abanisete

3) Adebayo Tijani & Jack’enneth Opukeme – Farmer’s Bride

4) Tope Adebayo & Adebayo Tijani – Her Excellency

5) Toka McBaror – The Waiter

6) Adebayo Tijani, Tope Adebayo & Femi Adebayo – Seven Doors

MOVIE OF THE YEAR

1) Abanisete

2) My mother Is a Witch

3) Farmer’s Bride

4) The Waiter

5) Her Excellency

6) The Serpent’s Gift

BEST SERIES
1.) The Party
2.) Seven Doors

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1) Stan Nze – Serpent’s Gift

2) Femi Branch – Owambe Thieves

3) Adedimeji Lateef – Red Circle

4) Buchi Franklin – The Waiter

5) Taye Arimoro – Son Of the Soil

6) Neo Akpofure – My Mother Is a Witch

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

1) Mercy Aigbe -My Mother Is a Witch

2) Bolaji Ogunmola – Longing

3) Tina Mba – The Serpent’s Gift

4) Mercy Aigbe – Farmer’s Bride

5) Susan Jimah – Take My Breath Away

6) Kehinde Bankole – Iyalode

BEST SOCAL MESSAGE

Out in the Darkness

My Mother Is a Witch

Fury

Longing

Mayomi

Blackout

Single Mother

BEST COSTUME

1) Owambe Thieves

2) Abanisete

3) Iyalode

4) Labake Olododo

5) Seven Doors

6) Olomi

7) The Serpent’s Gift

BEST SOUND

1) Red Circle

2) Agemo

3) Anjola

4) Fury

5) Reel Love

6) Ewu Ife

BEST SOUNDTRACK

1) My Mother Is a Witch

2) Take My Breath Away

3) Olomi

4)Durotimi

5)The Serpent’s Gift

BEST USE OF FOOD

1) Owambe Thieves

2) Longing

3) Alakada: Bad and Boujee

4) 07.03 (The 7th of the 3rd)

5) Farmer’s Bride

6) Owambe Thieves

BEST CHILD ACTOR

1) Ahmad Isa – Finding Nina

2) Yoma Davidson – Den Of Safety

3) Royal Aziomaku – Seven Doors

4) Adeshina Daniel – Telephone

BEST CHILD ACTRESS

1) Ijelu Folajimi – Son of the Soil

2) Darasimi Nadi – Agemo

3) Diva Owoniyi – Den of Safety

4) Kamdi Ugochkwu – A Ride with Forever

5) Angel Unigwe – In My Circle

MOST PROMISING ACTOR

1) Razaaq Adoti – Son of the Soil

2) Yomi Orimadegun – The Boy from the Window

3) Korede Lawal – On Our Skin

4) Abduazeem M. Ibrahim – Finding Nina

MOST PROMISING ACTRESS

1) Dolapo Oyebamiji- Olomi

2) Lila Idoko – I am Anis

3) Sylvia Ebere – Flipside

4) Sunshine Rosman- Son of the Soil

5) Temitope Luqman – Durotimi

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

1) Seven Doors

2) Labake Olododo

3) Abanisete

4) Iyalode

5) Farmer’s Bride

BEST SCREENPLAY

1) Thinline

2) Ewu Ife

3) Owambe Thieves

4) Fixing Others

5) The Serpent’s Gift

6) Blackout

7) Agemo

BEST SPECIAL EFFECT

1) Seven Doors

2) Labake Olododo

3) Son Of The Soil

4) Red Circle

5) The Waiter

6) Abanisete

7) Iyalode

BEST DOCUMENTARY

1) Beyond Olympic Glory

2) Nigeria Laughs

3) Not Addressing This Anymore

BEST EDITING

1) Son Of the Soil

2) The Waiter

3) Reel Love

4) Red Circle

5) Between Silence & Truth

6) Olomi

7) Agemo

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

1) 07.03 (7th of The 3rd)

2) My mother Is a Witch

3) Abanisete

4) Agemo

5) Seven Doors

6) The Serpent’s Gift

7) Finding Nina

BEST INDIGENOUS
MOVIE

1) Abanisete

2) Brotherly Love

3) Iyalode

4) The Serpent’s Gift

5) Agemo

6) My mother Is a Witch

6) Olomi

BEST MAKE UP

1) The Waiter

2) Seven Doors

3) Iyalode

4) Abanisete

5) Labake Olododo

6) Iyalode

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