Pitcher Festival 2026 Honors Outstanding Creative Work Across Africa in Landmark Edition
The Pitcher Awards, a leading pan-African benchmark for creative excellence, has announced the winners of its 2026 edition, recognizing outstanding work from across Africa and beyond. This year’s festival reached a historic milestone with its first-ever entries from Mozambique and the United States, highlighting its growing international reach and commitment to creativity without borders.
Speaking on the 2026 results, Dr. Nnamdi Ndu, Chairman of the Pitcher Festival, described this year’s winners as a reflection of the continued evolution of African creativity. He praised the boldness, cultural depth, and technical skill demonstrated across entries, noting that the inclusion of new participating countries further reinforces the festival’s belief that creativity transcends geography. He also expressed anticipation for the 10th anniversary edition in 2027.
The festival unveiled Grand Prix and Gold winners during its official streaming premiere, while Silver, Bronze, and Shortlist recognitions have been published on the festival’s website.
2026 Grand Prix Winners
In the Grand Prix category, top honours went to:
- NoVita by The Bar Africa for NuVita Biscuits (Kenya) in Culture – Corporate Image & Reputation Management
- MozaMbique Has 2M by Create Mozambique for 2M Beer (Mozambique) in Heritage – Outdoor Ambient & Installations
2026 Gold Winners
Gold awards recognized standout campaigns across multiple categories, including:
- La caravane d’excision – The FGM Caravan by L’Agence X for Mouvement femmes et paroles (Côte d’Ivoire) in Care – Public Health & Safety
- MozaMbique Has 2M by Create Mozambique for 2M Beer (Mozambique) in Channel – Use of Media
- Portrait of a Nation by Create Mozambique for Millennium BIM (Mozambique) in Culture – Corporate Image & Reputation Management
- Maggi Tales of Ramadan by All Seasons Zenith for Nestlé Nigeria’s Maggi in Cultural Insights
- First Beach by Dentsu Creative for Corona Africa (South Africa) in Entertainment Film
- The Origin of Wonder by Dentsu Creative Kenya for Magical Kenya / Kenya Tourism Board in Heritage Film
- BUSiness UNUSUAL by The Quollective for Kiira Motors Corporation (Uganda) in Heritage Outdoor Activations
- Martell on the Move by PHD Nigeria for Pernod Ricard (Nigeria) in Heritage Outdoor Ambient & Installations
- The Sun-Powered Print Ad by Dentsu Creative South Africa for Corona Africa in Heritage Print
- Additional wins for 2M SAMMA FRESH and NoVita across effectiveness and cultural insight categories
Special Awards
The festival also announced its 2026 Special Awards:
- Digital Agency of the Year: digitXplus (Nigeria)
- Media Agency of the Year: PHD Nigeria
- Advertising Agency of the Year: Create Mozambique
- Media Network of the Year: OMD
- Advertising Agency Network of the Year: Dentsu Africa
- Independent Network of the Year: The Quollective Africa
- Regional Holding Company of the Year: Omnicom Media Group
- Brand of the Year (National): 2M Beer Mozambique
- Brand of the Year (Multinational): Martell
- Marketing Company of the Year (National): Kiira Motors Corporation (Uganda)
- Marketing Company of the Year (Multinational): AB InBev
Jury Appreciation and Festival Outlook
The Pitcher Festival extended appreciation to its international jury of industry leaders, whose expertise ensured rigorous evaluation and high creative standards across all entries. Category juries were led by distinguished presidents from across Africa’s creative and media industries.
The 2026 edition once again showcased the depth, imagination, and innovation shaping African storytelling today. Winning works will be featured globally through the Pitcher Showcase, the festival’s traveling exhibition platform.
As preparations begin for its 10th anniversary in 2027, the Pitcher Awards continues to position itself as a leading platform celebrating creativity, innovation, and excellence across Africa and beyond.
