COMFORT EKELEME, Business Editor
Guinness Nigeria Plc has stepped onto Africa’s biggest creative stage with a first-of-its-kind multi-brand sponsorship of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), bringing Guinness, Malta Guinness, Orijin, and Smirnoff together across the 12th edition of the awards.
The AMVCA became a showcase for the brands Guinness Nigeria produces locally, brought to the stage through the company’s sustained partnership with Diageo.
The sponsorship marks a significant shift in how Guinness Nigeria shows up in the spaces where African creativity, storytelling, and cultural identity are being shaped.
Speaking at the event, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Girish Sharma reflected on what the moment means for the company and its brands.
He said, “Our continued collaboration with Diageo allows us to bring an exceptional portfolio of brands to the moments Nigerian consumers care about most. Showcasing Guinness, Orijin, and Smirnoff at a stage like the AMVCA matters because these are brands made here, by us, for the people shaping Africa’s creative and cultural future.
Corporate Relations and Legal Director at Guinness Nigeria, Rotimi Odusola, who presented the Best Indigenous Language award sponsored by Smirnoff Ice, spoke to the wider significance of the partnership.
“Recognising excellence in indigenous language storytelling is a moment that sits close to who we are as a company rooted in Nigeria. Through Smirnoff Ice, we are honouring the creators keeping our languages, our stories, and our cultural identity alive on screen, and that is a privilege we do not take lightly,” he said.
Marketing and Innovations Director at Guinness Nigeria, Ramanathan Solayappan, spoke to the consumer thinking behind the multi-brand showing.
He said, “Each of our brands speaks to diverse parts of the Nigerian consumer’s life, and the AMVCA gives us one stage where all of those connections come alive at once.
“It is a reminder that marketing is about showing up meaningfully where culture is being shaped,” he said.
The decision to bring a full slate of brands to one cultural moment reflects Guinness Nigeria’s broader philosophy of showing up where culture is actively being shaped. Guinness, making its AMVCA debut, presented the Best Director category, reinforcing its support for the creators shaping the future of African cinema.
Orijin brought its celebration of originality and African identity to the AMVCA Cultural Night, while Smirnoff added a playful, modern energy designed to connect with the younger audiences driving today’s creative culture.
Malta Guinness extended its Every Side of You campaign into the AMVCA moment, celebrating the many sides of consumers as they show up across culture, creativity, and everyday life. Diageo also brought its Don Julio and The Singleton brands into the showcase, with Don Julio anchoring the celebration as headline sponsor.
The AMVCA partnership forms part of a wider cultural calendar for Guinness Nigeria in 2026. Alongside activations around major football experiences and heritage moments like the Ojude Oba Festival, the AMVCA reinforces the company’s growing focus on entertainment, sport, and culture as the spaces where consumer passion and community identity intersect.
Through Guinness, Malta Guinness, Orijin, and Smirnoff, Guinness Nigeria did not simply sponsor an event. It participated in the broader story of African creativity, ambition, and cultural influence.
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