By Seun Oni
Nollywood Film Draws Record Crowd in Lagos
Nigerian film Black Market has set a Guinness World Records title after 51,258 people attended its screening at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos on September 26, 2026.
Guinness World Records officially recognised the achievement as the largest attendance at a film screening. The organisation confirmed that 51,258 people watched the film from the beginning of the screening through to the end.
The record was achieved by Damilola Osikoya, Switch Visual Limited, Nora Awolowo and Rixel Studios, according to the official Guinness World Records entry.
Previous Record Surpassed
The Lagos screening surpassed the previous record of 43,624 people, which was set in 2015 during a screening of the Filipino film Felix Manalo at the Philippine Arena.
The Black Market screening exceeded the previous record by 7,634 people.
Guinness World Records maintains separate categories for film screenings and film premieres. The Nigerian achievement is officially recorded under largest attendance at a film screening, rather than largest audience at a film premiere.
Thousands Gather at Tafawa Balewa Square
The record attempt was planned around a target of bringing at least 50,000 people together for one screening.
Thousands of people arrived at Tafawa Balewa Square ahead of the event. Channels Television reported that the gates opened at about 2pm, with the red carpet beginning around 3pm and the main screening scheduled for 7pm.
The programme also included music, food, games and other entertainment activities before the film was screened.
Nollywood personalities and government officials attended the event, including Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat and Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture Toke Benson.
Guinness Verification Produces 51,258
Reports from the event put the overall number of people who attended the wider gathering at about 64,000.
The Guinness World Records figure was lower because its verification process focused on spectators who remained for the qualifying screening. The organisation confirmed 51,258 people as having watched the film from beginning to end.
That verified figure is the number recognised in the Guinness World Records database and is the figure attached to the new record.
The Film Behind the Record
Black Market is directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay and co-written by Gimsay and Abdul Tijani-Ahmed.
The film follows five women involved in a cross-border smuggling operation whose lives become complicated after the daughter of one of them is kidnapped.
The cast includes Lateef Adedimeji, Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Omowunmi Dada, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok, Ibrahim Yekini, also known as Itele D Icon, and Uzor Arukwe, among others.
The film’s record breaking screening was organised by Rixel Studios, with Switch Visual Limited, Nora Awolowo and Damilola Osikoya among those recognised by Guinness as the record holders.
Nora Awolowo
Government Commends Achievement
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the achievement as a demonstration of the creativity and enterprise within Nigeria’s creative industry.
The Guinness record adds another international milestone to Nigeria’s film industry, which has developed into one of the country’s most prominent creative sectors.
For Black Market, the official record now rests on one verified figure: 51,258 people at a single film screening in Lagos.
That is the figure Guinness World Records has entered into its records database.
Seun Oni is a UK-based entertainment journalist recognised for her polished voice and incisive cultural reporting. She covers film, television, music and celebrity culture with a confident blend of industry awareness and human-centred storytelling. Her work spotlights emerging talent, shifting creative landscapes and the narratives shaping modern entertainment, establishing her as a credible and compelling voice in the field.
