Nollywood Sets Attendance Record with 51,258 at Film Premiere

On September 26, 2026, Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos hosted a historic film premiere, where 51,258 attendees watched a Nigerian crime thriller produced by Nora Awolowo and directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay. This event achieved a Guinness World Record for the largest attendance at a film screening, surpassing the previous record of 43,624 set in the Philippines in 2015.

The film's narrative revolves around five women involved in a cross-border smuggling operation, emphasizing themes of economic survival and loyalty. The event showcased Nollywood's increasing cultural importance and its evolution towards a more sustainable creative economy.

According to FilmOne Entertainment's 2025 West Africa Box Office Scorecard, Nollywood captured 49.4 percent of the box-office revenue in Anglophone West Africa, surpassing Hollywood's 48.8 percent for the first time. This milestone reflects the growing demand for local stories, with filmmaker Funke Akindele's works becoming significant cultural events.