The Senegalese actress beat Rita Dominic, Lupita Nyong'O, Bimbo Akintola, Zimkhitha Nyoka, Khabonina Quebeka, Josette Bushell-Mingo to the award.
In the drama, Tshanda played Félicité, a singer in a bar in Kinshasa, who goes on a frantic search when her 14-year-old son has a motorcycle accident.
Directed by Franco-Senegalese filmmaker Alain Gomis, "Félicité" also won the AMAA 2017 Best Film.
It beat "The Last of Us," "A Mile in My Shoes," "Queen of Katwe," "93 Days," "76," "Vaya," "Wulu" and "Call Me Thief."
"Félicité" was selected to compete for the Golden Bear in the main competition section of the 67th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Jury Grand Prix award.
The 2017 AMAA which held on Sunday, July 15, 2017, at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island Lagos, was hosted by Nollywood actress, Nse Ikpe-Etim.
Other winners from the night includeAkin Omotoso, who won best director for the movie "Vaya,"and Jahwar Soudani' who won the Best Actor for his performance in "Last Of Us."