‎LEADERSHIP Newspapers, Shaibu Hussein, Ali Nuhu, Others Get Recognition Award At KADIFF 2026 

‎Dignitaries, filmmakers and members of the creative sector stormed the Kaduna International Film Festival (KADIFF) as it climaxed on Saturday, 29th August 2026, with Special Recognition Awards.

Leadership Newspapers was recognised for its contributions to promoting film and tourism in Nigeria.

Adejoke Alabi-Henry, the Editor, Lifestyle and Culture at Leadership Newspapers, while receiving the award on behalf of the newspaper organisation, thanked the organisers of KADIFF for the recognition and assured them of more robust collaborations in the future.

‎Others who got honoured at the award night held last weekend include the executive director of the National Film and Video Censors Board, Dr Shaibu Hussein, Managing Director of Nigeria Film Corporation, Dr Ali Nuhu, Femi Adebayo, Uche Ogbodo, Uzee Usman, Dr Tony Akposheri, Asabe Madaki, Juliet Ibrahim, Senator Shehu Sani, among others.

‎Themed ‘cultural Renaissance’, the film festival had training sessions across different value chains of the movie industry.

‎When Love Prays by Ben Casssie (Nigeria) won the feature film of the year at the ceremony.

‎Founded by Kashim Israel Audu, the film festival has continued to impact the movie industry in the north

‎Below are the categories of the Award:

‎

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD

‎1. FEMI ADEBAYO

‎2. DR. SHAIBU HUSSEINI Husseini (ED NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO CENSORS BOARD)

‎3. DR. ALI NUHU (MD. NIGERIAN FILM COOPERATION)

‎4. OLA AWAKAN (DG NIGERIAN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY)

‎5. UCHE OGBODO

‎6. JULIET IBRAHIM

‎7. RABIU RIKADAWA

‎8. UZEE USMAN

‎9. SEN. SHEHU SANI

‎10. NASIRU MUHAMMAD

‎11. ASABE MADAKI

‎12. FIONA GARBA

‎13. HAPPY JULIAN

‎14. JOHN COSTER

‎15. HALIMA ABDULRAUF CEO S24 TELEVISION

‎16. CHARLES ERUKAA

‎17. Prince Daniel Aboki

‎ THISTIMESPAPER

‎ Sani Ahmed Kankarofi

‎ Hon. Ahmed Maiyaki

‎Commissioner for Information and Culture, Kaduna State, Nigeria

‎ Hon. Patience Fakai

‎Commissioner for Business, innovation and technology. Kaduna state Nigeria

‎  Barrister Gloria Ibrahim

‎Commissioner for Youth Development, Kaduna State, Nigeria

‎Dr Tony Akposheri

Mr Koye Shotade (Channels Television)

Late Hajiya Wasila Ismail (Posthumous Award)

‎

‎9TH KADUNA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS

‎

‎BEST FEATURE FILM

‎When Love Prays by Ben Casssie (Nigeria)

‎

‎BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

‎Adui (Uganda)

‎

‎BEST DIRECTOR

‎When Love Prays by Ben Cassie

‎

‎BEST ACTOR (MALE)

‎ Uzee Usman as Hamza in When Love Prays

‎

‎BEST ACTOR (FEMALE)

‎ MIREMBE DOREEN JR as Atim in Mama Wange

‎

‎BEST SUPPORTING / SUB-LEAD MALE

Chimezie Imo as Nnamdi in Nini

‎

‎BEST SUPPORTING / SUB-LEAD FEMALE

‎Iva U. Abraham as Salome in Pink Diary

‎

‎BEST EDITOR

‎ Okoth Peter & Alibet Joshua – Adui

‎

‎BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

‎Pink Diary – Samuel Idaigboya

‎

‎BEST STUDENT FILM

‎ The Traveller by Dizzy Noah (Nigeria)

‎

‎BEST ANIMATION

‎ Then I Grew Up – Ssenani Ssentongo (Uganda)

‎

‎BEST INDIGENOUS FILM CATEGORY

‎Oyiza by Yemi Filmboy Morafa (Nigeria)

‎

‎BEST SHORT FILM

For A Purpose Reborn by NATUKUNDA BLACE (Uganda)

‎BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

‎ Made in Uganda by NTALE DERRICK CHRISTOPHER (Uganda)