Kunle Afolayan Celebrates Triumph as Anikulapo Wins Prestigious Award

Anikulapo Wins Prestigious Award as Kunle Afolayan’s Netflix series takes Best African Series at Ghana Movie Awards in Accra

Nigerian filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has celebrated a significant milestone after his Netflix-backed series Anikulapo clinched the Best African Series award at the 15th Ghana Movie Awards, held at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra on June 8.

Also read: Kunle Afolayan Faces Backlash Over Aníkúlápó Season 2 Critics

Kunle Afolayan announced the victory on Instagram, sharing images and videos from the ceremony where the acclaimed series was recognised for its growing impact on African storytelling.

“The award winning Akande Kwesi Afolayan 🥂 Last night in Accra Ghana, our series #anikulapothemovie won the best African series on Netflix,” Kunle Afolayan wrote, also congratulating Ghanaian actress Fella Makafui, who won Best Actress in the same category.

The Anikulapo Wins Prestigious Award moment marks another high point for the franchise, which has steadily grown into one of Netflix’s notable African film properties.

The 15th Ghana Movie Awards, themed “Rewarding African Excellence,” brought together filmmakers, actors and media personalities from across the continent to celebrate achievements in the industry.

The ceremony also featured a vibrant red carpet display, where fashion and culture merged in a striking showcase of contemporary and traditional Ghanaian styles.

Among the attendees who drew attention were actress Priscilla Opoku Agyeman and fashion personality Nana Akua Addo, both of whom featured prominently in the evening’s style highlights.

The award-winning Anikulapo franchise began with Kunle Afolayan’s 2022 fantasy film, which explored life in the ancient Oyo Empire through the story of Saro, a travelling cloth weaver who discovers a mystical power capable of restoring life after death.

Following the film’s success on Netflix, Kunle Afolayan expanded the narrative into the series Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre, which premiered in 2024. The series brought back familiar faces including Kunle Remi, Bimbo Ademoye and Sola Sobowale, while introducing new story arcs.

The franchise continued its expansion in January 2026 with a second season titled Anikulapo: The Ghoul Awakens, further cementing its place within Netflix’s growing catalogue of African originals.

Also read: Kunle Afolayan Faces Backlash Over Aníkúlápó Season 2 Critics

Industry observers note that the latest recognition underscores the increasing global visibility of African cinema and the expanding reach of streaming platforms in showcasing regional storytelling to international audiences.