There is a general notion that Nigerians can’t handle anything other than comedy films. Filmmakers often decry exhibitors’ and producers’ penchant for comedy films, which has resulted in a scenario wherein Nollywood films seemingly struggle to be anything else. A glance at Nollywood’s top 100 grossing films of all time reveals that about 44% of them are comedy films. A notable recent outlier on that list is King of Boys (2018), a political thriller that, after its box office success, inspired a few attempts to replicate its impact. Shortly, Nollywood reverted to comedy films. Does Nollywood know how to do anything else?
As of 2025, the chances of a Nollywood film at the cinema being a comedy are very high. Even when a film isn’t strictly a comedy, it almost always features a comedic relief character—preferably played by a skit maker or online comedian. The problem is not that comedy films are bad, it’s the type of comedy films being made. The prevailing style of Nollywood comedy includes excessive shouting, stereotyped gateman and househelp roles and feud, characters insulting each other, slapstick humour, and a singular character driving the entire comedic arc.
It is difficult to pinpoint where this comedic tradition originated, but it likely stems from Nollywood’s early years—or even before that, from the travelling theatres where satirical and slapstick comedy played a significant role. Theatre actors like Moses Olaiya Adejumo (Baba Sala) transitioned to the screen, likewise elements of theatre, including slapstick comedy and wordplay. Later, actors like Nkem Owoh, Sam Loco Efe, Dejo Tunfulu, and Baba Suwe rose to prominence. They incorporated sharp-witted remarks, unfiltered humour, and a strong reliance on improvisational dialogue. Some of these elements, central to stage comedy, allowed them to create spontaneous and culturally resonant characters that captivated audiences. Nollywood marketers quickly recognised the commercial appeal of this style, and frequented these actors as their leading people across different projects, leading to the typecasting of these comic actors into similar roles. Aki and PawPaw, Osuofia, Dejo, Mr Latin, Mr Ibu as some examples of this. As a result, Nollywood comedy became largely character-driven rather than story-driven.
One major flaw of this style is its detachment from realism. By prioritising exaggerated humour, Nollywood often sacrifices narrative depth and evolution. For instance, Ayo Makun-led Akpos films offer no form of depth for the main character to amuse the audience. Worse still, many comedic moments make light of serious issues, not with the nuance or tact a comedy should. This problem permeates not just Nollywood but also the broader comedy industry and Nigeria as a whole. It’s very common to find comedians making light of subjects like rape. This reinforces and reflects problematic societal attitudes. While some can be argued that the comedy and by extension the industry is built on stereotyping different communities, something that could be excused as their “expense,” in line with Plato’s famous definition of comedy, and as such must be outlawed. We can be like Plato’s student, Aristotle, and many modern philosophers, who believe that comedy can be a virtue and an avenue to unpack and have difficult conversations. Making tactless jokes about rape like Akpororo, Ayo Makun, Basketmouth have been found doing in the past lacks these.
A torch that has now been passed to online skitmaker and influencers who only want to make insensitive skits about domestic violence, bigotry, consent, catcalling, body shaming, victim-blaming. These skitmakers do it for the same reason Basketmouth gave for making that joke— the controversy works and brings in the money. This is the case with Nollywood comedy films, a system of “it works” which guarantees box office smashes. I’d like to think these films are successful because there are no other options, Nigerians have been conditioned to like things because they are used to seeing them. The mere exposure effect explains this phenomenon. The audience likes these films because of their constant exposure, and marketers and distributors keep harping it on them because they believe they are working. This pernicious cycle continues as a loop, with no end in sight. And with comedy being cultural, one can tell a lot about a people from the things they laugh about. It doesn’t matter whether Nigerians were conditioned to like the films and jokes. It’s what we will be known for. But are these what we want to be known for? Nigerians deserve some freshness.
Another flaw is the unnatural self-awareness of comic film characters like in theatre, where performers are aware of the live audience. Nollywood comic characters often seem aware that their lines are meant to be funny and to an audience watching them, making the humour feel forced and overly performed. They don’t seem like people existing in these film worlds but people trying to tell a joke. This strips the jokes of their organic humour. This effect is likely unintended but it can be refined and improved, like Rob Gordon in High Fidelity (2000) and Ferris Bueller in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986). Some productions, like Fleabag and Deadpool, explore hyperaware characters through breaking the fourth wall to enhance their comedic effect. Nollywood’s unintended approach often lacks the finesse to make these sentient styles work effectively.
In the spirit of character-driven comedies. Such films usually favour the typecasting of already established actors, comedians and celebrities, a prominent feature in the filmography of Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham, Muyiwa Adegoke, Nkem Owoh, Imoh Bishop, Afonja Olaniyi, and many others. This style means new faces don’t get a chance because the comedy hasn’t been written for them. Marketers and distributors favour this style because it guarantees an audience, especially with the rise of social media influencers and skit makers, which has seen many influencers cross over, like Broda Shaggi, Lasisi Elenu, etc. Typecasting didn’t go easy on them, too, as they have often had to bring their online personae into films. However, this over-reliance leads to the creation of one-dimensional protagonists whose antics drive the entire film. These characters rarely undergo development, as their primary function in the film is to remain funny throughout, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Nollywood does this a lot and that can be a problem; it is the status quo. The absence of reflective moments deprives audiences of emotional depth, making the humour stale and predictable.
Nollywood’s reliance on formulaic comedy and stereotypes limits the genre’s depth and variety. The industry must embrace structured storytelling and diverse comedic styles to reach broader audiences. Nollywood’s relationship with Nigeria’s broader skit, comedy, and stand-up industry has much more potential that can be mined. Abba T Makama’s 2019 film, The Lost Okoroshi, offers multiple alternate pathways our comedy could take. In one scene, members of an Igbo men’s social club lobby to have their will imposed on the ancestral masquerade after they had abducted the masquerade. The irony and silliness of mortals trying to exert their will on an immortal is quite comedic. Later on, two factions of the club fight over the fate of the masquerade; the showdown is nothing short of comic. Kelechi Udegbe gives a stellar comic performance as the busy, condescending vice president of the club as he leads the ridiculous charge for the masquerade to be taken back to the South East. There is a sombreness to this scene and film despite it being comedic as it poses questions on heritage and inter-tribal relations in Nigeria. Kelechi Udegbe only appears once, still, other parts of the film hold up their comic ends. This is unlike most Nigerian films where a single character dictates and carries the humour in a film. But this doesn’t have to be the case.
There are many other types of comedy worth exploring. Nollywood’s dependence on character-driven humour and slapstick has led to a staleness. Aristotle, in “Poetics”, emphasised the centrality of plot in creating compelling comedy and drama. Yet, Nollywood has seemingly “lost the plot”—literally and metaphorically—in its comedic approach. Even romantic comedies, which should balance humour and heart, now resemble tragi-comedies without the comedy. Tragedy, sorrows and tears, and they are not plot points. The genre is in urgent need of reinvention.
To break free from these tired formulas, Nollywood filmmakers must embrace innovation by blending Nigerianness with bold experimentation. Films like Festival of Slaps (2024) — although written and directed by a non-Nigerian — hint at this one of many potentials Nigeria could explore. In this film, Abdou Cisse uses slaps (widely abused in skits), in the Nigerian parent context, to humorously explore pivotal moments in the main character’s life. Additionally, Nollywood could explore satire and parody more effectively. Satirical films such as Saworoide (1999) by Tunde Kelani or international classics like The Great Dictator (1940) by Charlie Chaplin and Dr. Strangelove (1964) by Stanley Kubrick critique their societies boldly without losing their comedic edge. Satire is a staple of Nigerian theatre; perhaps it’s time to reintroduce it into Nollywood.
Another underexplored subgenre is black comedy—films that address sensitive topics while skirting the edges of insensitivity. Black comedies force audiences to confront taboo subjects through humour, making them powerful tools for introspection. On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (2024), an African black comedy, tactfully tackles themes of rape and pedophilia. Films like The Banshees of Inisherin (2019) and Kinds of Kindness (2024) use dark humour to explore themes of friendship, kindness, and moral dilemmas.
The writing of Nollywood comedy films also requires improvement. Many scripts suffer from weak storytelling, forced jokes, and underdeveloped dialogue. While improvisational humour has its strengths—often making jokes more relatable—it also risks pulling audiences out of the story due to its raw, unpolished nature. More carefully written scripts, more writer rooms. It’d be best if they are comedy writers who understand structured comedic beats; it would elevate Nollywood comedies significantly.
While comedy is a business of laughter, it is also a serious business, and Nollywood must treat it as such. If filmmakers approach comedy intentionally, Nollywood’s comedies could transcend borders, exporting Nigeria, given that humour is cultural. However, Nollywood’s current approach does a disservice to Nigeria’s global image. The exaggerated, stereotypical portrayals—marked by over-the-top accents, foolish antics, and over-dramatization—project an image of silliness rather than depth. It is, therefore, crucial that Nollywood gets it right.
By embracing diverse comedic styles, refining its storytelling, and moving beyond lazy formulas, Nollywood has the opportunity to elevate its comedy films into a sophisticated and globally resonant genre.
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