Nwamaka Chikezie emerged as one of the biggest winners at the 2026 Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) Awards, taking home the Best Feature Director and Best First-Time Director honours for her debut feature film, To Adaego With Love.
The double win, recorded at the DGN Awards Night in Lagos on August 21, makes Chikezie the first director to claim both categories in a single night.
Also among the night’s standout recipients was Shedrack Salami, who won Best Documentary Director for Beyond Olympic Glory. The award also makes Salami the first director to receive the honour since its introduction.
The DGN Awards Night marked the conclusion of the Guild’s Directors’ Week, which ran from August 18 to 21 and featured the DGN Annual General Meeting, masterclasses, fireside conversations, industry panels and networking sessions focused on directing and the Nigerian creative industry.
