2024 was a year of box office records, more international milestones, and disruption in film distribution. Despite challenges like reduced funding from major streaming platforms and uncertainties, Nollywood remains resilient and poised for more milestones in 2025. Let’s call this a 2024 News Wrapped for the Nigerian Film Industry. Box Office Records Streaming and Film Distribution International Recognition More Looking Ahead of 2025 All eyes are on how Nollywood will navigate its distribution woes. Funke Akindele is set for an early year release of her romantic offering Finding Me, Kunle Afolayan’s Recall is expected to hit the cinemas as the…
Author: Oluwatomisin Olorunfemi
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From chart-topping hits to big-screen moments, Nigerian musicians sometimes extend their talents to film. Following the release of Jade Osiberu’s holiday rom com Christmas in Lagos (featuring rapper Ladipoe in a major role alongside other musician cameos), we’ve compiled a list of 14 music stars who have crossed into Nollywood: After making Soft Work of his breakout role in Funke Akindele’s Jenifa’s Diary (2015)—a performance he is reprising in the Everybody Loves Jenifa—Afrobeats musician Folarin “Falz” Falana earned his first Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award (AMVCA). In 2018, The “Who Go Pay” singer bagged his second AMVCA with New Money…
Tola Odunsi’s The Men’s Club: New Gen kicks off with a twist! The hit series follows four friends—Aminu (Pere Egbi replaced Ayoola Ayolola in Season 4), Louis (Baaj Adebule), Lanre (Daniel Etim-Effiong), and Tayo (Efa Iwara)—dealing with love, family, and career problems. But this new season shakes things up with the addition of fresh characters: Kashope (Saga Deolu), Francis (Chuks Joseph), Tokini (Paul Nnadiekwe), and Obinna (David Eyo), who form a men’s club of their own. In an exclusive interview with What Kept Me Up, the New Gen cast shares their experiences on set. “The first interaction between all four…
Although films often steal the show in Nollywood, the TV scene is also well alive. 2024 has delivered some exciting new stories. Whether you’re into emotional dramas, romance, or light-hearted comedies, there’s a little something for everyone. Here are 17 recent Nollywood TV shows you should check out: In this sequel to Kenneth Gyang’s 2019 film Oloture, an undercover journalist (Sharon Ooja) fights to regain her freedom after becoming a victim of the same human trafficking network she set out to investigate. The limited series also features Omoni Oboli, Beverly Osu, Daniel Etim Effiong, and Bucci Franklin, among others. It…
My Sunshine, the first-ever Korean-Nigerian film, premiered on YouTube on October 4, 2024. Directed by Abdulrasheed “JJC Skillz” Bello (Omo Ghetto: The Saga) and starring Kemi “KemzMama” Ikuseedu, the film combines K-drama’s signature tropes, with a Nigerian twist. Featuring dialogue in Korean, English, and Yoruba, My Sunshine quickly trended across social media and amassed over 900,000 views. But while South Korean audiences have embraced its cultural fusion, Nigerian viewers are divided. To understand the context, we must first consider the facts. Korean media has achieved global popularity in recent years through the cultural phenomenon known as the ‘Hallyu Wave.’ With…
Have you been feeling out of touch with Nollywood lately? 2024 has had its fair share of underwhelming releases, so it’s easy to feel like the magic is fading. But before you give up, why not give these titles a chance? From powerful storytelling to captivating performances, here are 11 must-watch films that can reignite your love for Nigerian cinema: In this award-winning feature debut by twins Arie and Chuko Esiri, we watch two people chasing the “Great Nigerian Dream.” It is a Japa story told through the eyes of Mofe (Jude Akuwudike), a printing shop technician, and Rosa (Temi…
On September 26, 2024, Hollywood publication Variety reported that British powerhouse Idris Elba (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom) would play Okonkwo in a TV adaptation of “Things Fall Apart”, Chinua Achebe’s iconic 1958 novel. Many Nigerian netizens criticized the casting, arguing that a Nigerian actor should take on the deeply Igbo role. Some others welcomed Elba’s international acclaim, which could elevate the project’s visibility, stating the role has already been portrayed by a non-Nigerian—the late Senegalese actor Johnny Sekka—in an earlier adaptation, Bullfrog in the Sun (1971). However, industry insiders pointed out that adapting a book is an elaborate and…
In the business of striking groundbreaking industry deals, no one does it like Mo Abudu. From hosting the popular talk show Moments With Mo to becoming the first woman to launch a pan-African TV channel, Abudu has become a towering figure in Nigerian film and entertainment. Over the last decade, the media mogul behind EbonyLife Group—hailed by CNN as “Africa’s Queen of Media” —has consistently worked to expand the industry by forging key partnerships both at home and globally. Here are 11 of her major deals: 1. The ELFIKE Film Collective Back in 2016, Kemi Adetiba’s The Wedding Party premiered…
It’s been almost 5 years since COVID-19 began—and even longer since the Ebola outbreak—yet echoes of the pandemic remain in unique ways (or maybe it’s just the economic inflation reminding us of darker times). Lives were lost, lives were changed, and Nollywood was driven to a standstill at the worst of it. But some filmmakers drew inspiration from the uncertainty. So, I’ve compiled a list of 10 pandemic-themed Nollywood films and series you should know about: 1. 93 Days Steve Gukas’ 93 Days (2016) is based on the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Nigeria, which it portrays with a special focus on…
In the spirit of the Olympic Games, we’ve compiled a list of Nollywood films that touch on sports (at least, to some degree). While many of these films showcase remarkable individuals striving to excel in various games, they mainly reveal the tough realities of average Nigerians trying to participate in sports in a country with underdeveloped infrastructure. Here are 7 sport-themed Nollywood films you should definitely know about: 1. Onye Egwu Onye Egwu follows Alex Mbanefo (Zubby Michael), a famous international football player who sustains a career-changing injury and embarks on a spiritual journey to rediscover his passion for the…