NEMCEA 2026 Awards Nite Celebrates Excellence Across TV, Radio, Film And Digital
By Quadri Faustina Debola
It was a night of glitz, glamour, recognition and standing ovations at the 5th Nigerian Electronic Media Content Exhibition and Awards (NEMCEA) 2026, as top players in TV, Radio, Film and Digital content were honored for their craft at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday, September 3rd, 2026.
The Awards Nite capped two days of policy dialogues, panels and masterclasses held under the theme “The Creator’s Economy: Elevate Your Craft, Secure Your Future” hosted by the Electronic Media Content Owners Association of Nigeria, EMCOAN.
The event brought together Content Creators/Producers, Regulators, Broadcasters, Advertisers, Insurance Professionals, Digital Creators and Mass Communication/Creative Arts Students under the same roof to look at path to navigate the future of the Electronic Media Content Industry as a whole.
According to Alayande Stephen T., the Project Director, NEMCEA 2026, he says ” Nigerian creators are not just making content, they are building an economy. From policy to production, from local storytelling to global platforms, the two-day exhibition proved that with the right structures, funding and collaboration, Nigeria’s electronic media sector is ready to compete on the world stage while staying true to its cultural roots” he averred.
However, on the final night, the spotlight shifted to the creators and all kinds of shows & programmes that have shaped Nigerian screens and airwaves this past year.
We Happy People emerged as one of the night’s biggest winners. The drama series clinched Best Overall Drama Series, while its stars Hydra Aneme and Chinyere Wilfred took home Best Actor and Best Actress respectively. The series also produced Stellamaris Duru who won the highly coveted NTA Award For Best Producer.
Best Short Film award was carted home by In the Shadow of a Promise, whose director Victor Eyike was named Best Director.
In the other categories, our very own SPLASH9JA won the NTA Award for Best Entertainment Show. Other TV and radio winners included Kilanse for Best Cooking Show, Sport Pizza for Best Sport Show, and Yoruba Gbayi for Best Culture/Tourism Show. The Talk show categories went to Mata Muyi Magana for Best Talk Show (TV) and The AIMS Podcast on Polygyny for Best Talk Show (Radio). Life and Living was won the Best Health Show (Radio) while Health Monitor won the Best Health Show and I’m Psyched took the Best Documentary.
The International broad category also had a strong showing thanks to Zee World’s dominance. Zee World won Best Content Channel (International). Its shows swept two other categories: courtesy Twist of Fate that won Best Drama Series (International), Dance Naija Dance also took Best Production Design (International), while Ana’s Revenge from Telemundo was awarded Best Technical Quality (International) while the content Family Secret won Best AI/Animation.) category.
Industry and professional excellence were not left out as Plus Acuity Media after a massively contested voting process won the maiden edition of 2026 Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) Award for Outstanding Customer Service Agency while MediaFuse Dentsu was voted as the best in the 2026 ARCON Award of Excellence in Payment Discipline.
The NEMCEA Awards Jury also gave Special Jury Mentions in the non-competitive category to the Zee Zone Radio Show (HIV Know Your Status) under the Best Entertainment Show ( Radio) and to Joan Mbanefo Ologeh under the Best On Air Personality (OAP) on Radio.
Presenting the awards, EMCOAN and NEMCEA organizers goal was to recognize professionals who have produced programmes and shows that elevate Nigerian content and push it toward global relevance.
With music, dinner and networking rounding out the night, NEMCEA 2026 reaffirmed its commitment to promoting innovation, collaboration and competitiveness for Nigerian talent across electronic media.
