Nigerian creatives recorded major wins at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards held on Sunday, February 22, at London’s Royal Festival Hall. Actress Wunmi Mosaku and the Lagos-set film, My Father’s Shadow, emerged among the night’s headline winners, marking another strong moment for Nigerian storytelling and talent on the global stage.
The ceremony, hosted in London, celebrated achievements across film categories, with established Hollywood names and rising voices sharing the spotlight. For Nigeria and the diaspora community, the night delivered clear milestones in both acting and filmmaking.
Read: Wunmi Mosaku Wins BAFTA Best Supporting Actress for Sinners
Wunmi Mosaku Wins Best Supporting Actress
Wunmi Mosaku won the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Sinners. Her performance in the film earned widespread praise during the awards season, and the BAFTA win adds to her growing list of international recognitions.
This is not Mosaku’s first BAFTA honour. In 2017, she won Supporting Actress at the BAFTA Television Awards for Damilola, Our Loved Boy. Her latest victory places her firmly among the most accomplished Black British actresses working in film today.
Born in Nigeria and raised in Manchester, Mosaku has built a career spanning television, stage, and film. She has appeared in titles such as Luther and Black Mirror, as well as major international productions. Her win on Sunday night was received with strong applause inside the Royal Festival Hall, further cementing her influence in British and global cinema.
Sinners also performed strongly overall, winning Original Screenplay and Original Score, giving the film three awards on the night.
Read: My Father’s Shadow Wins Outstanding Debut at 2026 BAFTA Awards
My Father’s Shadow Claims Outstanding Debut
Another major win for Nigerian talent came in the Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer category. My Father’s Shadow, directed by Akinola Davies Jr. and written by Wale Davies, took home the prize.
Set in Lagos during the 1993 presidential election crisis, the film follows a father and his two sons as they move through the city amid political uncertainty. The story explores family relationships against the backdrop of one of Nigeria’s most significant democratic turning points.
The win represents a milestone for the Davies brothers, whose project has steadily gained international recognition since its premiere. The film previously made history as the first Nigerian title selected for the Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival, where it screened in the Un Certain Regard section.
By winning Outstanding Debut at the BAFTAs, My Father’s Shadow joins the list of respected British debut films while remaining rooted in Nigerian history and identity.
Full List Highlights and Major Winners
While Nigerian creatives celebrated their wins, the overall top honours of the night went to One Battle After Another, which secured six awards, including Best Film and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson.
In the acting categories, Robert Aramayo won Best Actor for I Swear, while Jessie Buckley took home Best Actress for Hamnet. Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor for One Battle After Another.
Other major winners included Sentimental Value for Best Film Not in the English Language, Mr. Nobody Against Putin for Best Documentary, and Frankenstein, which dominated several technical categories including Costume Design, Makeup and Hair, and Production Design.
The 2026 BAFTAs reflected a mix of established industry figures and emerging voices, with Nigerian talent clearly among the standout names of the evening.
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