Nollywood Sets New Guiness World Record

Nigerian film Black Market has set a new Guinness World Records milestone after attracting 51,000 qualifying viewers to a single screening at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos.

The record-breaking screening surpassed the previous record of 43,624 viewers, set in 2015 during a screening of the Filipino film Felix Manalo at the Philippine Arena.

Organisers had targeted a minimum of 50,000 simultaneous viewers, with thousands of movie lovers arriving at the Lagos venue several hours before the screening. Although the overall crowd was larger, Guinness World Records counted 51,000 viewers as the official qualifying figure because they met the required conditions, including remaining for the duration of the screening.

Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat was among the dignitaries present, alongside entertainment personalities and government officials. The announcement of the record was met with cheers and celebrations from the crowd.

Directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay, Black Market tells the story of five women caught in a cross-border smuggling operation whose lives take a dramatic turn following the kidnapping of one of their daughters.

The achievement gives the Nigerian film industry an international record and places Black Market among the films associated with a landmark large-scale cinema event in Nigeria.