From thrilling epics, romantic entanglements and hostage dramas, Nollywood has back-to-back hits on Netflix. If you’re looking for what to watch on the streamer this month, here are the 10 best Nigerian movies to watch this July.

10. (2024)

Running time: 1h 40m

Director: Toka McBaror

Genre: Comedy, Thriller

Akpos (Ayo Makun) is on his very first day as a waiter in a posh Abuja hotel hosting a big event for the Minister of Poverty Alleviation (Shaffy Bello). A heavily armed ex-army captain (Bucci Franklin) and his boys hijack the building and take everybody hostage. Then it goes from kidnapping to a revolution, forcing everyone to answer the question: Who is responsible for this country’s problems?

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9. (2022)

Running time: 1h 50m

Director: Tope Adebayo and Adebayo Tijani

Genre: Epic, Thriller

Oba Adegbite (Odunlade Adekola) just wants to enjoy his new crown, but a powerful thief, Ageshinkole (Femi Adebayo), shows up to scatter his kingdom. Ageshinkole is such a menace that he beats up witches, wizards, warriors and literally everyone the King sends. The problem gets so big that the King forces his head hunter (Ibrahim Chatta) on a suicide mission to bring the thief’s head or lose his own.

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8. (2023)

Running time: 1h 55m

Director: Kunle Afolayan

Genre: Drama

Four stubborn friends (Ruby Akubueze, Kayode Ojuolape, Fawad Aina and Ebiesuwa Oluwaseyi) go to play in the mountains and somehow stumble on a bag of diamonds. Tempted and excited, they take it for themselves. But the diamonds come with wahala. They belong to some dangerous people who’ll go to any length to get them back. Now, these kids have gone from planning their new, rich life to running around for survival.

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7. (2021)

Running time: 1h 52m

Director: Idea Chukwuma “Onesoul” Innocent

Genre: Epic

Trained by her dad, Ogbu (Enyinna Nwigwe), Igbinogun (Damilare Kuku) leads a gang of misfit thieves to steal from the rich and give to the poor. But the problem starts when she embarrasses the Prince (Blossom Chukwujekwu) so badly in battle that the man literally deletes himself out of shame. The kingdom is upside down and Igbinogun suddenly has to step up and become the leader of her village.

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6. (2022)

Running time: 1h 36m

Director: Date Olaitan

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Busola (Immaculata Oko-Kasum) thinks she has secured a soft life when she falls for Tunji (Efa Iwara), a fine boy from a super-rich family. But the red flags start waving almost immediately. Tunji’s family is hiding some dark, creepy secrets, and Busola quickly realises that marrying into this kind of wealth is far from a blessing. 

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READ NEXT: The 10 Best Nollywood Movies Of 2026 So Far, Ranked

5. (2023)

Running time: 1h 36m

Director: Walter Banger

Genre: Drama, Romance

Toyin (Dakore Egbuson-Akande) and Uche (Nse Ikpe-Etim) are lifelong besties until one man, Sunday (Oris Erhuero), enters the chat and scatters everything. It first starts as a harmless crush, then turns into a messy love triangle that tests the limits of their sisterhood.

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4. (2022)

Running time: 1h 28m

Director: Walter Taylaur

Genre: Drama

Brume (Daniel Etim-Effiong) is battling life problems: his mom just died, his wife’s dealing with infertility, and two corrupt policemen (Frank Donga and Toyin Oshinaike) are extorting him. Then, the worst happens: his wife is murdered by the officer. Brume teams up with his guy, Dammy (Deyemi Okanlawon), to pose as a flamboyant yahoo boy, lure the corrupt cops and kidnap them. From there, it becomes a chaotic hostage drama fueled by revenge.

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3. (2025)

Running time: 1h 39m

Director: Moses Inwang

Genre: Drama, Romance

Adaora (Nse Ikpe-Etim) is a rich, single lady who falls for fine boy stylist Jaiye (James Gardiner) just to escape family pressure. But that’s a huge mistake because Jaiye is scum. He and his partner Anna (Erica Nlewedim) scam Adaora blind, force her to get an abortion, fake his death, and set her up for jail. Adaora gets out, catches him living large with a new family, and goes into revenge mode and wreaks havoc.

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2. (2022)

Running time: 1h 30m

Director: Kayode Kasum

Genre: Drama

Otas (Chimezie Imo) is just trying to go to NYSC camp when a tragic accident leaves a friend dead, and the police wrongfully pin the death on him as a murder. With Otas locked up, his mom, Adesuwa (Dakore Egbuson-Akande), is forced to confront her own dark past and trauma tied to Nigerian police brutality.

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1. (2025)

Running time: 1h 51m

Director: Daniel Etim Effiong

Genre: Crime, Drama

Gosi (Daniel Etim-Effiong) travels to Ekiti for his best guy Fola’s (Kunle Remi) wedding to Derin (Genoveva Umeh). The wedding is beautiful until Nigeria happens. On the drive to the hotel, gunmen disguised as herdsmen ambush their convoy. They kill the groom and drag Gosi, Derin and a bunch of other motorists into the bush to demand ransom. Long story short, this is a direct look at the ghetto that is Nigeria’s insecurity crisis.

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ALSO READ: Alexx Ekubo Had Range. These 10 Movies Prove It

This list covers Nigerian films that stood out in celebration of genre, dedication to craft, appreciation of culture and also just a great time at the movies. These are the 10 best Nollywood films of 2026, so far.

10. The Boy Who Gave 

Running time: 118 minutesĚý

Director: Allison Precious EmmanuelĚý

Genre: ¶Ů°ů˛ąłľ˛ąĚý

Films that take us to parts of Nigeria rarely seen are not many, and in Allison Emmanuel’s debut feature he takes us to Bonny Island, a place fraught with economic and political violence. He writes, directs and stars in the film that follows Broda, a first son, who is left to care for his siblings after the death of his parents. It’s a film that leans into the dreary existence that poverty plunges you into and it asks if escape is ever possible. 

The Boy Who Gave is currently showing in the cinemas.

9. The Other Side Of The Bridge 

Running time: 116 minutes 

Director: Fiyin Gambo

Genre: Sports Drama

Many Nigerian films in recent times have tried to capture the class tension between the wealthy and the poor in our society. In the Other Side Of The Bridge, we see the Fiyin Gambo-directed feature put this tension in a gritty boxing drama that follows two boxers (played by Tobi Bakre and Demi Banwo) from vastly different backgrounds competing in a prestigious tournament hoping to win it for reasons that define both their lives.

The Other Side Of The Bridge is not yet available on any streaming platforms.

8. Aba Blues

Running time: 120 minutes 

Director: Jack’enneth Opukeme

Genre: Romantic Drama 

Jack’enneth Opukeme has a flair for writing interesting women defying cultural boundaries. In Aba Blues he writes and directs a story of a woman (played by Angel Anosike) stuck between two lovers: one from her past and another in her present. It’s a story that celebrates and critiques Igbo culture, centering the love story in a place and time that shows the director’s signature vintage storytelling. 

Aba Blues is streaming on

7. Onobiren: A Woman’s Story

Running time: 104 minutes 

Director: Famous Odion Iraoya

Genre: Drama 

Nollywood has a fraught history with its women and in a bid to tell their own stories, Onobiren enters with the tale of a woman recounting her life experiences as she moves from her village to the city. It is a film that centres human efforts as acts of faith and miracles. Directed by Famous Odion Iraoya and written by Laju Iren, Onobiren opens the breadth of womanhood for the industry to learn from. 

Onobiren: A Woman’s Story is not yet available on any streaming platforms.

6. To Adaego With Love

Running time: 129 minutes

Director: Nwamaka Chikezie

Genre: Historical Romance 

In this Nwamaka Chikezie directed feature, we see a love story placed at the core of the post civil war reconciliation efforts in the East. Starring Adam Garba and Chisom Agoawuike, who have palpable chemistry, it navigates the complicated emotions of a people who have still not been given proper reparations for a war that ravaged their place and culture. It places this conflict within and outside a love story that will leave you in your feels when the credits roll. 

To Adaego With Love can be rented on the film’s

5. Evi

Running time: 107 minutes 

Director: Uyoyou Adia

Genre: Musical Drama

With the increase in Afrobeats recognition worldwide, a film about a fictional Afrobeats star was bound to happen. Enter Evi. It follows a pop star who falls from grace and attempts to return to success with a new lease on life. Starring Osas Okonyon in the titular role and directed by Uyoyou Adia, we get a glimpse into the shady workings of an industry where the price for success is often a loss of self. And to crown it all, it does have some bangers.

Evi is not yet available to stream on any platforms.

4. On Different Grounds

Running time: 120 minutes 

Director: Mildred Okwo

Genre: Romantic Dramedy

A veteran returns to the camera and brings other veterans with her in this Mildred Okwo directed romantic comedy. This film follows a separated couple who have to share the same space during the week of their daughter’s marriage. It’s a film that finds the older stars of Nollywood like Nkem Owoh, Jennifer Eliogu and Bob Manuel Udowku in roles that respect their skills. At the same time, it creates a narrative rarely seen with a happy ending that reminds us that second chances are never too late.

On Different Grounds is currently showing in cinemas.

3. When Nigeria Happens 

Running time: 119 minutes

Director: Ema Edosio-Deelen

Genre: Dance drama

Sometimes a Nigerian film departs from the usual forms we’re used to and creates an experiment that dissects the way our society breaks us. This is the central thesis of When Nigeria Happens. Directed by Ema Edosio-Deelen, it follows a group of misfit dancers who are trying to make it amidst the obstacles Nigeria throws at them. A film that uses dance as a primary driver of its story, we journey with this group as the pressure to fit in builds to a moving conclusion. 

When Nigeria Happens is streaming for a limited time on the

2. Mothers Of Chibok

Running time: 88 minutes 

Director: Joel Kachi Benson

Genre: Documentary

The kidnapping of the Chibok Girls remains one of the most consequential moments of Nigeria’s history and the media around it has remained fraught with propaganda and political motivations. With Mothers of Chibok, directed by Joel Kachi Benson, we witness a group of mothers who, after their daughters’ abduction, spend weeks, months and years waiting for their return. It is a solemn study on the way this tragedy has defined their present and future, and a documentation of their resilience. 

Mothers Of Chibok is currently not available on any streaming platforms.

1. Call Of My Life

Running time: 107 minutes 

Director: Dammy Twitch

Genre: Romantic comedy 

A call centre agent, Soluchi, is going through a tough heartbreak when she receives a call that is bound to change the trajectory of her love life. Directed by Dammy Twitch in his feature debut and written by Uzoamaka Power, Call Of My Life reminds us that a good romantic comedy is grounded in the cultural context of its people. With strong lead performances, a score that paints the romance and supporting characters you want to see more of, the film joins the pantheon of great Nigerian romcoms and will definitely be rewatched by generations to come.

Call Of My Life is currently showing in cinemas.

It’s arguably the best month of the year: Pride Month. And what better time to catch up on some of the best films Nollywood has given us about queer love. 

Whether you’re looking for romances or documentaries that spotlight real-life experiences, these films offer a glimpse into the many ways queer Nigerians have told their stories on screen. While some of them are not pure love stories, they are not entirely the focus of this article. Let’s jump right in! 

1. Ife (2020)

Director: Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim

Running time: 38m

Directed by Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim and produced by Pamela Adie, the film follows two women, Adaora and Ife who meet and fall in love over the course of a 3-day-date in Lagos. But soon, they find their love being tested with the realities of being queer in Nigeria. 

2. 14 Years and A Day (2023)

Director: Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim, Ayo Lawson

Running time: 21m 

Another classic from Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim but this time in collaboration with Ayo Lawson.  Amal, a queer woman finds herself in an emotional conflict with her partner of 14 years. In a bid to run away from this frustration, she seeks solace in a solitary dinner unaware that fate has other things in store. 

This movie is currently unavailable on streaming platforms. 

3. Boys Like Us (2025)

Director: Babatunde Apalowo

Running time: 1h 33 m 

Boys Like Us follows the lives of four gay friends who live together in Lagos, as their lives begin to unravel over the course of a single weekend. Each episode takes viewers along on a different adventure. 

4. She He They (2024)

Director: Uyaiedu Etim

Running time: 10m 

Across seven episodes, She He They follows the lives of Reni, a lesbian and her three roommates—Imani, a Muslim lesbian, Ijemma, a transwoman, and Victor, a gay man, with each of them dealing with their unique struggles. 

5. Pieces of Love (2024) 

Director: Omeleme

Running time: 40m 

This is a classic roommates-to-lovers situation. Tobe and Alex go from sharing an apartment to falling in love with each other. Now, they have to cope with hiding their relationship because of the society they live in. 

6 Unbroken Note (2026)

Director: Pamela Adie

Running time: 1h 12m 

This film follows the journey of Adekunle, a young artist who struggles to live authentically in a society and family environment that rejects his identity. Despite the looming danger of homophobic attacks, he makes the brave decision to live authentically. 

7. Delivery Guy (2025)

Director: JFM TV

Running time: 39m

Delivery Guy takes viewers on a journey through the complex emotional and social challenges faced by two men, Jeff and Timmy, as they navigate their relationship in a society struggling to accept their identity.

8.Walking with Shadows (2019)

Director: Aoife O’Kelly

Running time: 1h 33m

Set in Lagos, Walking With Shadows centred around Adrian, a gay man whose carefully constructed life begins to unravel after he is outed. The film examines the pressure many queer Nigerians face to conform to societal expectations. 

9. Hell or High Water (2016)

Director: Oluseyi Asurf

Running time: 31m 

This movie centres on a married pastor struggling to reconcile his sexuality with his faith. Rather than presenting easy answers, the film tries to highlight the complexities of navigating religion and sexuality in a country Nigeria.

10. Under The Rainbow (2018) 

Director: Pamela Adie

Running time: 1h 12m 

This documentary film takes viewers on a first hand journey through what being queer in Nigeria looks like. Produced and directed by LGBTQ activist, Pamelie Adie, it details her deeply personal coming out journey. 

°Őłó±đĚýĚýis returning on August 22, 2026, in Lagos! Come learn from finance experts and industry leaders, and partake in unfiltered conversations about building wealth and diversifying your income stream in a country like Nigeria.ĚýReal stories, expert advice you can actually use, and a community ready to build wealth together.Ěý.

And that’s why we’ve taken upon ourselves to highlight the women across these reality TV shows that not only kept us entertained but have managed to maintain culture relevance long after their shows ended. Here are some of the most memorable women in reality TV history.

1.

Show: Big Brother Naija: Pepper Dem

It’s been seven years since Mercy won. Her continued relevance and the success of her endeavours since then make it clear that her win was anything but a fluke.

2.

Show: Big Brother Naija: Pepper Dem

Tacha is the ultimate definition of a polarising TV personality. Despite her clashes with fellow housemates, she always stayed true to herself.

3.

Show: Big Brother Naija: Level Up

Yes, Phyna was chaotic in the house. But no one wants to watch a show where everyone is singing kumbaya with each other.

4.

Show: Big Brother Naija: Double Wahala

Is Cee-C a villain or simply too honest for TV? Whatever your answer, you can’t deny she was entertaining AF. Many have tried to recreate her playbook and failed.

5.

Show: Big Brother Naija: Lockdown

Reality TV often needs a calm presence to weather the storm, but Erica somehow managed to be both.

6.

Show: Real Housewives of Lagos

Yes, she ended every season she’s appeared in with all her friendships destroyed, but her erratic behaviour is part of why we love her.

7.

Show: Young, Famous & African

If there’s one thing Annie did, it was keep viewers glued to their screens, whether they were rooting for her or criticising her.

8.

Show: Big Brother Naija: Level Up

During her season, Bella made headlines as the housemate who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, even if it meant ruffling a few feathers along the way.

9.

Show: Real Housewives of Lagos

Chioma wasn’t a housewife, but reality TV never needed to be real. Her no-nonsense approach to issues endeared fans to her.

10.

Show: Big Brother Naija: Lockdown

If reality TV is known for pushing cast members to their limits, Nengi defies that axiom. She somehow managed to both stir the pot and rise above it.

ALSO READ: Nigerian Reality TV Shows that Need to Make a Comeback 

°Őłó±đĚýĚýis returning on August 22, 2026, in Lagos! Come learn from finance experts and industry leaders, and partake in unfiltered conversations about building wealth and diversifying your income stream in a country like Nigeria.ĚýReal stories, expert advice you can actually use, and a community ready to build wealth together.Ěý.

Specifically, how much the main character, soluchi, makes to be able to live so fabulously.

In Call of My Life, we meet Soluchi a call center agent trying to heal from a bitter heartbreak, until her job connects her to the charming Eli.

Apart from Soluchi’s interesting love life, she also has an enviable lifestyle, with her preppy outfits, upscale apartment and monthversary gifts to her partner.

Soluchi’s fabulous apartment and outfits made us wonder: how much do call center agents actually make?

According to , call center agents in Nigeria earn somewhere between ₦65,000 and ₦300,000 per month.

Let’s assume she earns ₦300,000 per month. Can that pay for her apartment?

An upscale apartment like that in Lagos costs ₦3m to ₦6m per year. By our salary estimation, she’d need to leave her entire annual salary untouched to afford that place.

Come heartbreak or bad work day, one thing Soluchi never has is a bad hair day. Her locs were always styled to the T.

Styling locs frequently is not for the financially weak. A retwist can cost between ₦25,000 to ₦50,000.

Our theory: Either Soluchi has a side hustle the movie didn’t mention or she works for one of the few companies in Nigeria that actually pays a competitive salary.

Or maybe she’s simply figured out how to build wealth and afford the life she wants. If you’d like to do the same, attending the is a good place to start.

ALSO READ: 10 Times Nollywood Accidentally Taught Us Money Lessons

If you’re in the mood to watch a messy investigation of a Lagos neighbourhood, spoiled brats waking up to smell the coffee, or a survival game on a dusty interstate highway, I have the best binge-list for you. These are the best Nigerian movies to watch on Netflix this month.

10. (2021)

Running time: 1h 50m

Director: Seyi Babatope

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Imagine waking up to find a whole dead body in your compound. This murder mystery takes a mandatory environmental sanitation day and turns it into a high-stakes whodunit when a corpse mysteriously drops in a regular face-me-I-face-you house while the streets are on lockdown. Nobody can go in or out, and every tenant is a prime suspect in a messy police investigation.

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9. (2021)

Running time: 1h 56m

Director: Kayode Kasum

Genre: Comedy, Drama

The movie throws together a bunch of totally mismatched strangers who pack themselves into a random bus heading East, all thinking they’ve secured a sweet transport bargain. But because cheap things will always cost you your peace of mind, what is supposed to be a regular road trip turns into a trouble ride when their bus gets hijacked by armed robbers in the middle of nowhere.

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8. (2020)

Running time: 2h 31m

Director: Kunle Afolayan

Genre: Drama

This movie follows Moremi (Temi Otedola), a student who gets sexually assaulted by her lecturer. She does the brave thing and drags his matter to the school’s disciplinary panel. But Nigeria, being Nigeria, a lawless place, the tribunal process flips the script and makes her the villain. They put her on the hot seat and make her fight for her academic life in a wild game of gaslighting.

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7. (2019)

Running time: 1h 50m

Director: Tope Alake

Genre: Action, Drama

This is about Nimbe (Chimezie Imo), an innocent teenager who grows up too quickly and is trying to survive the problems of a dysfunctional home. But because the streets are always looking for who to swallow, he ends up with the worst crowd. The desire to belong becomes a dark descent into substance abuse and gang violence.

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6. (2024)

Running time: 1h 52m

Director: Ramsey Noauh

Genre: Action, Thriller

Tokunbo (Gideon Okeke), a retired car smuggler who lives a quiet, legal life with his family, gets dragged back into the game for one last job. The job is to smuggle the kidnapped daughter of a very powerful government official across the border in exactly three hours, or watch his own family get wiped out.

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READ NEXT: The 10 Best Nollywood Movies to Watch On YouTube (June 2026)

5. (2021)

Running time: 2h

Director: Biodun Stephen

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Summy (Timini Egbuson), an arrogant and spoiled rich kid wakes up one morning to the shock that nobody in his life, not even his own mother or his closest friends, recognises him. Overnight, his entire life and identity vanish into thin air. He starts life afresh with Todowde (Bimbo Ademoye), a bread seller.

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4. (2023)

Running time: 1h 46m

Director: Kayode Kasum

Genre: Drama, Romance

This is Tamara (Sandra Okunzuwa), another ridiculously spoiled, high-society bride-to-be whose entire existence revolves around living the soft life. But as she prepares for the society wedding of the year, disaster strikes: her father’s assets are frozen, her wealthy fiancĂ© does a runner and her bank accounts hit zero. She’s shaken out of her bubble. Now, she has to build a survival instinct and life afresh without wealth and fake friends.

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3. (2018)

Running time: 1h 35m

Director: Genevieve Nnaji

Genre: Drama

Adaora (Genevive Nnaji) is an executive who has dedicated her life to keeping her father’s transport company afloat. When her dad suddenly falls ill and is forced to step down, he brings in his loud brother to take the wheel. Suddenly, our main babe is forced to co-run the family empire with an uncle whose entire business strategy and operations are almost the opposite of hers. But they have to make things work.

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2. (2019)

Running time: 1h 23m

Director: Akay Ilozobhie

Genre: Drama

This is a hilarious comedy about Dare (Timini Egbuson), an entitled ajebutter who thinks the entire world revolves around his family’s money. He’s arrogant, completely out of touch with reality and disrespectful to everyone around him. One day, he gets trapped in an elevator with Abigail (Toyin Abraham), a no-nonsense pregnant woman who has zero patience for his bullshit.

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1. (2023)

Running time: 2h 3m

Director: Adeoluwa Owu

Genre: Drama

Adire (Kehinde Bankole), a retired lady of the night who decides she’s done with the streets. She packs her bags and relocates to a small town to start a new life. To secure her daily bread, she taps into her creative side and launches a business making sexy, custom lingerie out of traditional local fabrics. The local women love it; her business is booming until her success attracts the wrong kind of attention.

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ALSO READ: The 10 Best Gabriel Afolayan Acting Performances, Ranked

The 10/10 housemates gave us plenty of drama in the house. They were so chaotic they almost took over Ebuka’s designated role of “shaking tables” with their own in-house roundtable discussions.

And there’s still so much left to unpack. How did Faith deal with his disqualification? Are Mide and Dede still not on talking terms? What happened with Kola and Imisi’s friendship?

While we wait for answers by 10pm this night, here’s what they’ve been getting up to since leaving the house.

The season’s resident IT girl hasn’t slowed down since the show ended. Dede has kept up with serving looks on Instagram and has worked as an ambassador for brands like Guinness and Vaseline.

Koyin was one of the most active housemates of the season and even outside the house, he has shown just how much of a star he is. He recently scored a movie role in Tokunbo Marriage. 

Winning the show was only the beginning. Even while she was in the house, it was obvious that there was some acting talent tucked away beneath the surface. She recently starred in Ajosepo. 

In the house, Kola served looks from day one until he left, and he has kept that same energy outside the house. From his fashion-forward posts to partnerships with brands like CeraVe and Heineken, he is still showing us why he was the fashion boy of the season.

Thelma was one of the housemates who had her eyes firmly on the money, so it came as no surprise when she returned to building her skincare store after leaving the house.

Ěý

If there is one thing Mide was never going to do, it is fade into the background. With her ethereal face card in hand, she has gone on to build a decent career for herself as a fashion influencer. 

Coming into the house as a doctor, most people probably assumed his next move would be a return to the hospital after the show. Instead, he has found himself drawn to the spotlight, hosting a wellness show on TVC and snagging the Best Dressed award at the AMVCAs. 

Ěý

Sultana might not have been the most dramatic housemate, but she has since shown us that she can turn on the drama when the cameras are rolling. She has appeared in a number of YouTube movies and even added an AMVCA Best Dressed win to her record. 

If there was one housemate who refused to be boxed in, it was Jason Joe. One minute he was singing, the next he was dancing, and somewhere in between he was serving looks too. He’s pretty much been doing the same since he left the house. 

While her Big Brother journey was cut short earlier than some, Zita has been making the most of life outside the house. Between completing her degree, working in real estate, and carving a niche as a content creator, she’s clearly going to be in our faces for some time. 

°Őłó±đĚýĚýis returning on August 22, 2026, in Lagos! Come learn from finance experts and industry leaders, and partake in unfiltered conversations about building wealth and diversifying your income stream in a country like Nigeria.ĚýReal stories, expert advice you can actually use, and a community ready to build wealth together.Ěý.

Whether he’s in villain mode, playing a hopeless romantic, or fighting zombies in a Lagos slum, Gabriel Afolayan always understands the assignment. Here are his top ten acting performances across film and television.

10. Femi in (2022 – Present)

Seasons:  2

Episodes: 8

Director: Several

Genre: Crime, Drama

Here, Gabriel Afolayan shines as Femi, the overlooked and insecure older brother who feels sidelined by his mother in the family’s affairs. Gabriel captures the “laid-back man pushed into wickedness by a toxic wife” trope. Alongside his calculating wife, Yinka (Kehinde Bankole), Femi literally plots to kill his brother for the CEO seat.

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9. Tavier in Hoodrush (2012)

Running time: 2h 26m

Director: Dimeji Ajibola

Genre: Drama

He plays Tavier Jabari, a hustling singer navigating the harsh realities of the Nigerian music industry along with a toxic romance. He delivered a powerful portrayal of a struggling artist navigating ambition and betrayal.

Hoodrush isn’t streaming anywhere at the moment.

8. Wale in (2019)

Running time: 2h 25

Director: Trade Ogidan

Genre: Adventure, Comedy

He shines as Wale Esho, a young man who voluntarily gets himself locked up in a maximum-security prison just to find a hidden golden deity statue. In this movie, Gabriel gives an adventurous and thrilling performance.

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7. Afolabi in (2020)

Running time: 1h 16m

Director: Damilola Orimogunje

Genre: Drama

Gabriel plays Afolabi, the traditional and clueless husband who doesn’t understand his wife’s severe postpartum depression. His performance makes you deeply frustrated with him, but you also realise he isn’t a monster. He’s just painfully ignorant and overwhelmed.

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6. Ade in (2024)

Season: 1

Episodes: 6

Director: Clarence Peters

Genre: Drama

Gabriel plays Ade, a man caught up in the dark, survival-of-the-fittest underbelly of the streets. Gabriel shines here because of his ability to portray desperation and the extreme, chilling lengths people will go to when pushed to the wall. It’s dark and intense. He delivered.

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READ NEXT: I Watched The Nollywood Movie “Blood Sister” So You Don’t Have To

5. Koyejo in (2020)

Running time: 2h 31m

Director: Kunle Afolayan

Genre: Drama 

He plays Koyejo, Moremi’s (Temi Otedola) boyfriend, who stands by her during her fight against a predatory university professor. He’s a romantic partner who would do anythingĚýfor his babe.

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4. Akin in (2024 – Present)

Seasons: 2

Episodes: 12

Director: Kunle Afolayan

Genre: Fantasy, Drama

We see Gabriel play the compassionate and level-headed partner to Arolake (Bimbo Ademoye) as they chase survival outside the drama of Oyo. Amidst all the mystical drama, warlords and scheming, his gentle character commands attention even though the whole drama isn’t about him.

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3. Ayomide in (2015)

Running time: 2h 29m

Director: 

Genre: Drama, Romance

In this movie, Gabriel Afolayan is Ayomide, a childhood best friend and love interest of Rantimi (Bukunmi Oluwasina), a visually impaired woman. He brings so much warmth and vulnerability, showing us the beautiful, painful realities of navigating love, long-distance relationships, and heartbreak.

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2. Kossi in (2019)

Running time: 1h 40m

Director: Akinyemi Sebastian Akinropo

Genre: Crime

Gabriel is Kossi, a Togolese child who goes from being a houseboy in Lagos to a genius, big-time counterfeit money printer. His performance is a mind-blowing “fake it till you make it” act. Viewers find themselves rooting for a whole criminal just because of how smoothly Gabriel played him.

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1. Romero in (2014)

Running time: 1h 35m

Director: C.J. Obasi

Genre: Horror, Thriller

He plays Romero, a young man trying to survive and provide for his pregnant girlfriend, when a contaminated water supply turns his slum neighbours into flesh-eating zombies. His acting sells the horror of the dreadful situation.

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From heart stopping romantic comedies to gripping action movies, Nollywood has shown it’s a diverse space with something for everyone. Whatever genre you’re into, there’s something for you. Here’s a list of the best Nollywood movies across different genres, from the 2000s till date.

1. Comedy – Aki na Ukwa (2002)

Director: Amayo Uzo Philips 

Runtime: 2h 21m 

Aki na Ukwa follows two mischievous brothers, Aki (Chinedu Ikedieze) and Pawpaw (Osita Iheme) on their different misadventures causing chaos everywhere they go.

​Not only was this the debut for both actors, but it also birthed the long string of iconic comedy movies this duo has given us. It’s pure slapstick, and the distinct mannerisms of Aki and Pawpaw just give it that timeless extra touch. Fun fact: your favourite Aki and Pawpaw meme probably came from this movie. 

2. Drama – Blood Sisters (2003)

Director: Tchidi Chikere

Runtime: 2h 49m 

Now, I need you to sit tight for this one. This entire movie is just Esther (Genevieve Nnaji) aggressively hating on her sister, Gloria (Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde).

​Gloria is living the ultimate Nigerian dream—married to a sweet man who calls her “dorling”—while Esther is still just single, unemployed, and bitter as hell. So, what does Esther do? She kills her sister and steals her husband. This is the kind of bar Blood Sisters has set for drama in Nollywood. Can any movie beat it? We’ll see. Not to mention that Genevieve and Omotola playing sisters made the in-movie rivalry even sweeter, given the long-standing rumours of a real-life rivalry between them.

3. Romcom – Isoken (2017)

Director: Jade Osiberu

Runtime: 1h 40m 

Who doesn’t love a good love triangle? Isoken (Dakore Akande) is a young and thriving lady in her mid-thirties. So it’s not surprising she’s under pressure from family to get married ASAP. 

In no time, Isoken goes from getting no men to having to choose between the handsome, husband material Osaze (Joseph Benjamin) and the sweet and unassuming, Caucasian Kevin (Marc Rhys). Isoken has just the right amount of whimsy that romcoms require without ever losing its distinct Nigerian tinge.

4. Thriller – The Black Book (2023)

Director: Editi Effiong 

Runtime: 2h 4m 

Even though the movie’s director will fight me if he sees this, The Black Book is, in many ways, Nigeria’s John Wick. And I mean that positively. It follows a deacon (Richard Mofe-Damijo) with a dark military past who goes on a rampage to clear his son’s name after his son is framed and killed by corrupt policemen.

What makes it stand out is its unique framing. It is not so much a revenge film as it is a story about a man seeking justice, an interesting contrast considering the protagonist is the most feared man in the country.

5. Crime – King of Boys (2018)

Director: Kemi Adetiba 

Runtime: 2h 49m 

Kemi Adetiba delivered what is undoubtedly her magnum opus with this masterpiece. King of Boys takes viewers on a journey through the dark criminal underworld of Lagos. It tells the story of Alhaja Eniola Salami (Sola Sobowale), a businesswoman and philanthropist whose dark past is revealed as she struggles for power.

King of Boys is first a gripping gangster movie, then it’s a timely piece of social commentary. It offers a searing look into the workings of Nigerian politics, exposing how the elite often manipulate the lower class to maintain their dominance.

6. Horror – The Weekend (2024)

Director: Daniel Oriahi

Runtime: 1h 51m 

The movie follows an orphaned young woman (Uzoamaka Power) who pushes her estranged fiancé (Bucci Franklin) to take her to his ancestral village to meet his family, only to uncover shocking and dangerous generational secrets hidden within the home.

If I were to describe The Weekend in one word, it would be ambitious. The film keeps you on edge from beginning to end. You never really know what’s coming next, and that unpredictability is what makes it a brilliant horror flick. 

7. Action – Issakaba (2001)

Director: Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen

Runtime: 4h 32m 

Did you know that Issakaba is Bakassi spelt backwards? That’s because it’s loosely based on the real-life adventures of the Bakassi boys, a vigilante group operating in the southeastern part of Nigeria in the early 2000s. 

Anyway, the plot is pretty invigorating. Sam Dede stars as Ebubedike, the leader of a community vigilante group fighting to keep their community safe.

8. Epic – House of Ga’a (2024)

Director: Bolanle Austen-Peters 

Runtime: 2h

House of Ga’a takes us deep into the Oyo Empire, following the legendary Bashorun Ga’a (Femi Branch), a ruthless kingmaker who grew more powerful and tyrannical than the kings he installed.

It’s giving Game of Thrones, but make it old Yoruba kingdom. The set design is all shades of grand and the world-building is incredible.

9. Musical – Ayamma (2016)

Director: Chris Eneaji Eneng

Runtime: 2h

Set in a fictitious village in Akwa Ibom, it follows Prince Daraima, the heir to the throne, and the maiden Ihuoma (Adesua Etomi), who always has a song brewing in her heart, ready to let loose at any moment.

While the core plot might lean heavily into familiar tropes and the ever predictable love triangles, the execution is so charming that you won’t even mind. 

10. Fantasy – Sylvia (2018)

Director: Daniel Oriahi

Runtime: 1h 44m

Imagine your imaginary childhood friend turns out to be real. Yeah, that sentence gave me a headache but that’s the gist of Sylvia. Richard (Chris Attoh) has been deeply connected to his spirit-friend Sylvia (Zainab Balogun) since childhood, but when he decides to leave her behind to marry a real woman, Sylvia decides to make his life a living hell. 

Sylvia is brilliant for so many reasons, chief among them being how it delves into a genre rarely explored in Nollywood and executes it perfectly. Everyone has thought about the concept of an imaginary friend at some point, and this movie takes that universal idea and turns it into a stellar ride.

ALSO READ: The 10 Best Nollywood Movies Of 2025

°Őłó±đĚýĚýis returning on August 22, 2026, in Lagos! Come learn from finance experts and industry leaders, and partake in unfiltered conversations about building wealth and diversifying your income stream in a country like Nigeria.ĚýReal stories, expert advice you can actually use, and a community ready to build wealth together.Ěý.

In this piece, we highlight artists who have stepped into character so convincingly that we almost forgot they primarily make music. From crime dramas and romances to political thrillers, here’s a list of Nigerian musicians who stepped into Nollywood and ate their roles.

10. in (2024)

is Ajani, the charming struggling guitarist and delivery boy who sweeps the fancy, London-returnee Ivie (Rayxia Ojo) off her feet during the Detty December madness. He’s quiet and has a charisma that suits the movie’s romantic tone.

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9. in (2023)

is Ify, one of the three childhood friends at the centre of the story. Unlike the hardened gangsters around him, he dreams of becoming a musician and escaping the cycle of violence and gang life of Isale Eko. His tragic death single-handedly sets off the movie’s bloody revenge plot. His character is instantly likeable, and his performance adds heart to a story filled with brutality and tragedy.

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8. in (2019)

had a brief but memorable appearance as Simi, a young, observant daughter of a local Buka owner in a noisy mechanic village, serving as a supporting character. Simi plays a version of the relatable girl-next-door we already love her for.

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7. in (2013)

delivered a powerful performance as Mama, Odenigbo’s (Chiwetalu Ejiofor) traditional and fiercely protective mother who makes life frustrating for her son’s highly educated partner, Olanna (Thandiwe Newton). She embodied the tensions between culture, class and modernity that run through the movie. It’s a short role, but her performance is unforgettable.

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6. in (2019)

delivered one of the movie’s strongest supporting performances as Chuks, a pimp and trafficker network operative. He’s a man deeply involved in the exploitation at the centre of the story. He balances charm and menace in a way that reflects how trafficking networks often operate behind a façade of normalcy. In this movie, he’s what a top-tier villain should be.

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5. in (2021)

Niyola (Eniola Akinbo) plays Tolani, a naive but principled bank secretary in the 1980s, dealing with a toxic boss, poverty and temptation to swallow drugs for cash to survive. It’s her acting and lead role debut, but she did the damn thing.

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4. in (2022)

is Wale, a police officer forced into a deadly cat-and-mouse chase against a notorious armed robbery gang that just so happens to be led by his brother, Akin (Tobi Bakre). He delivered arguably his best performance as an actor in this role.

3. in (2016)

is Dozie in this movie. His performance works because he’s believable: charming and romantic without becoming exaggerated – all the qualities we have seen in his natural “Mr. Capable” R&B flair. He gives us the premium lover-boy presence the movie needs.

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2. in (2018)

is Makanaki, the ruthless, power-hungry underworld boss who wants to hijack the crown from Eniola Salami (Sola Sobowale) by force. He plays a terrifying bad guy that we couldn’t take our eyes off. For a debut acting gig, his menacing screen presence and flawless delivery of street-smart Yoruba dialogue are mind-blowing.

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1. in (2023)

In this movie, is Lamidi, a chaotic, party-loving teenager whose impulsive decision to throw a house party leads to a dark, life-altering mess during a long university strike. He is a frustrated Nigerian youth trying to find quick thrills in a depressing system. His performance is gritty and relatable, and it shows how fast a simple “cruise” can turn into a huge real-life disaster.

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