Enugu Governor Peter Mbah wins the Herbert Wigwe Award at AFRIFF 2025, celebrating excellence and honouring Africa’s creative legacy

Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has been presented with the Herbert Wigwe Award for Excellence at the 14th edition of the African International Film Festival (AFRIFF).

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The award honours the late Herbert Wigwe, former Group Managing Director of Access Bank, who tragically died in a helicopter crash in 2024 in the United States.

The gala, held at the grand ballroom of the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, featured the theme “Rhythms of the Continent”, blending music, art, and cinematic celebration into a vibrant evening of recognition.

The Herbert Wigwe Award for Excellence was created to immortalise Wigwe’s legacy as a visionary and staunch supporter of AFRIFF. Other award recipients included Delta State Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, musician Flavour Nabania, David Oyewole, and Hakeem Muri-Okunola.

Chioma Ude, Founder and Executive Director of AFRIFF, emphasised the award’s significance in her remarks. “This is a legacy tool to keep Herbert Wigwe’s vision alive.

He believed deeply in Africa’s global potential and invested his life in platforms that elevated our voices, our creativity, and our talent.

AFRIFF is more than a festival. It is a movement, one that honours the past, celebrates the present, and shapes the creative future of Africa,” she said.

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The evening concluded with a memorable finale, celebrating music, memory, and hope, marking one of AFRIFF’s most dynamic editions yet. The award reinforces AFRIFF’s role in recognising excellence and inspiring the next generation of African creatives.