With the first ever AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards just over a month away, excitement is building and today, AfricaMagic announced that it will reveal the names of the nominees on Monday, 28 January at 21:30 CAT during a special edition of glam lifestyle series 53 Extra.

And, in more good news, the 53 Extra broadcast will be simulcast on AfricaMagic Entertainment, AfricaMagic, AfricaMagic Movies, AfricaMagic Movies 1 and AfricaMagic World/Magic World, ensuring that a wide range of DStv audiences can tune in, regardless of what bouquet they subscribe to!

The highly anticipated AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA’s), which are being held in association with MultiChoice and sponsored by Nigeria’s number one low sugar malt drink, Amstel Malta, will present awards to the best and brightest of the African film and television industry in March this year.

The initiative was designed to recognise and reward African excellence and creativity, and in addition to having professsionally judged categories, will also include some categories in which viewers’ themselves will vote for winners.

With the focus now on the key nominee announcement next week, AfricaMagic has confirmed that gorgeous 53 Extra leading ladies Eku Edewor and Dolapo Oni will be front and centre as the important nominees news is made public.

Joining them will be Jara hosts, the always suave Uti Nwachukwu (winner of Big Brother All Stars) and charismatic star Helen Paul, on whose Nollywood update show the awards were first launched in October 2012. Since that time, entries for the prestigious awards, to be held at glittering ceremonies in Lagos, Nigeria on 8 and 9 March, have flooded in.

Over 350 entries were received in total, a figure that M-Net's MD for Africa Biola Alabi finds extremely positive.

"We had a clear idea of how many entries we could expect for such an awards initiative in Africa, based on other events of this nature. This is a specialist event that calls for entries from a very specific professional industry. As such we anticipated about 250 entries in total. So we’re pleased that we were able to exceed our expectations in year one."

She continues: "The AfricaMagic team thanks everyone who entered. Whether you’re named a nominee or not, we’re very grateful for your participation. In doing so you’ve made an impressive statement that the African film and TV industry is making significant strides forward. Our thanks also go out to our judges who dedicated their time and expertise to finalising the nominees list. And finally, crucially, we are absolutely delighted to welcome Nigerian Breweries onto the project as a key and vital sponsor whose invaluable support is deeply appreciated."

MultiChoice Africa CEO, Mr Nico Meyer has also endorsed this initiative as the best thing that has happened for the African TV entertainment and film industries.

"As MultiChoice, we can only be proud to be associated with the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards. The investment made by MultiChoice is a show of our commitment to the development of skills and talent in the continent. As such, these awards have become a natural inclusion to our social investment portfolio which includes education and media. For us, it is a way of giving back by providing a platform to nurture and showcase local talent."

The judging panel for the AMVCA’s will also be announced on www.africamagic.tv on Monday, 28 January. Led by head judge Femi Odugbemi, the panel convened in Johannesburg early in January to finalise the nominees for the awards.

The partnership between AMVCA and Amstel Malta, according to Walter Drenth, Marketing Director NB Plc, is to reinforce the message of "being the best" by recognising and celebrating exceptional, world-class talents.

For more information on the AfricaMagic Viewers’Choice Awards, visit the AfricaMagic website.