These are shows that make you stop scrolling. They resist the noise and instead offer conversation that expands one鈥檚 sense of what Nigeria sounds like 鈥� and how it thinks.

What follows isn鈥檛 a ranking, but a glimpse into ten podcasts where curiosity meets craft, and where listening still feels like an act of learning.

Here are 10 Nigerian podcasts you鈥檒l actually learn something from:

1.

Host: Joey Akan

Journalist Joey Akan approaches Nigeria鈥檚 most exported art form 鈥� Afrobeats 鈥� with the curiosity of an anthropologist. His interviews with artists, producers, and executives double as oral histories of a global movement.

The show listens for structure behind sound: how creativity is managed, monetised, and mythologised. In Afrobeats Intelligence, the music becomes a mirror for a country鈥檚 ambitions.

Listen: | |

2.

Hosts: Tobi Hamilton & Temi Akinsanya

In a culture that lives online, few things are as political as image. Totally On Brand is a witty and incisive exploration of that space 鈥� how people, companies, and ideas define themselves in the digital age.聽

Hosts Tobi Hamilton and Temi Akinsanya treat branding not as marketing jargon but as a language of identity, an evolving art of self-presentation in an oversaturated world.

Listen: | |

3.

Host: Peace Itimi

Peace Itimi鈥檚 Founders Connect has become the archive of Africa鈥檚 new entrepreneurial class. Through long-form interviews with startup founders and investors, Itimi documents the continent鈥檚 digital economy from the inside. 

The podcast is as much about character as it is about capital 鈥� stories of perseverance, failure, and the audacity to build in unpredictable markets.

Listen: | |

4.

Host: Elijah Affi

If Founders Connect is about people, Venture Valley is about ecosystems. Host Elijah Affi traces the networks linking innovation hubs across Africa, showing how local ambition scales into continental change. 

The podcast captures a quiet optimism about the region鈥檚 economic imagination 鈥� a belief that business, when told honestly, can be a story of nation-building.

Listen: | |

5.

Host: Wale Lawal

Wale Lawal鈥檚 The Republic moves in the opposite direction: backwards, into history. Each season situates contemporary Nigeria within its colonial and postcolonial inheritances, examining how yesterday鈥檚 decisions haunt today鈥檚 institutions. Topics have included the rise of the activist writer, Ken Saro Wiwa, and the fall of the military head of state, Abacha.

The show鈥檚 tone is measured, almost professorial, but its effect is radical. It reminds listeners that historical awareness is itself a form of resistance.

Listen: |

6.

Hosts: Chika Uwazie & Eche Emole

At a time when 鈥渢he diaspora鈥� is often treated as a metaphor, The Afropolitan Podcast insists on its material realities. 

Hosts Chika Uwazie and Eche Emole interview Nigerians who have lived in the diaspora but have now returned to build successful businesses and careers in the country.

 What emerges is a global conversation about modern Nigerian identity 鈥� diasporic but rooted, cosmopolitan yet deeply local.

Listen: | |

7.

Host: A revolving host including Tamara Aihie, Deji Osikoya, & more

Produced by Culture Custodian, Uncultured dives deep into Nigerian history and pop culture to unpack how the past continues to shape the present. 

From the origins of Afrobeats to the legacies of military rule and Nollywood nostalgia, it鈥檚 a sharp, funny, and often emotional exploration of what it really means to be Nigerian.

Listen: | |

8.

Host: Mudiaga Akpotor (Mudi)

In The Nigerian Investor, Mudiaga Akpotor and his guests turn finance into plain language. Each episode breaks down the abstractions of the stock market and savings culture for everyday Nigerians. 

What could easily become technical instead becomes communal 鈥� a guide to survival in an economy that often feels designed to overwhelm.

Listen: | |

9.

Host: Audrey Brown

Produced by the BBC, Focus on Africa remains one of the most reliable sources of serious African journalism. Host Audrey Brown brings clarity and context to stories often flattened by global media. 

Her interviews cut across politics, economy, and culture, linking local crises to continental trends. It is both reportage and record: a reminder that Africa鈥檚 complexity deserves front-page treatment.

Listen: | |

10.

Host: Chioma Onyenwe

A true-crime investigation that feels like literature, 23419 revisits Nigeria鈥檚 most notorious fraud saga 鈥� the Banco Noroeste $242 million heist 鈥� to tell a larger story about greed, aspiration, and the machinery of deception.

Produced by Raconteur Productions, it鈥檚 meticulous, cinematic, and unflinchingly Nigerian. The show proves that storytelling, even in crime, can be a form of cultural archaeology.

Listen: | |

ALSO READ: 10 Feel-Good Nollywood Movies to Watch When You Need A Mood Boost

Between the awards, the dancing, and the black-and-gold energy in the air, it felt less like an event and more like a cultural reset. 

Here鈥檚 every kind of person you鈥檇 have spotted if you were lucky enough to be there.

1. The Drip Lords and Style Barbies

You know those people who enter a room and everyone suddenly remembers they forgot to iron? Yeah, that was basically every housemate. From Dede鈥檚 sleek statement look to Kola鈥檚 鈥減lease, my outfit has a PhD in confidence鈥� energy, the Guinness HQ hallway turned into a fashion runway.

Moral of the story: Nobody came to be humble.

2. The 鈥淚 Came for the Drinks鈥� Crew

These ones didn鈥檛 even pretend. They were there to experience Guinness in HD, from the first pour to the last sip. You could spot them by their permanent grin and their ability to toast to anything.

鈥淎nother round for Team Bold? Cheers.鈥�

鈥淣ew playlist loading? Cheers.鈥�

鈥淪omeone sneezed? Cheers.鈥�

3. The Corporate People Who Partied Like Housemates

The Guinness Nigeria team came in looking like responsible adults and left looking like professional party animals. Somewhere between the award presentations and the amapiano set, they collectively decided that 9鈥�5 rules don鈥檛 apply under Guinness lights. Respectfully, HR was on the dance floor, too.

4. The Accidental Celebrities

You know that moment when a Guinness spotlight hits you and suddenly you start posing like you鈥檙e on BBNaija: The Remix? A few guests caught that energy. Even the Guinness staff who came to 鈥渏ust observe鈥� left with new Instagram followers.

5. The 鈥淚 Won a Guinness Task鈥� Royalty

These ones had every right to act like royalty, because they are. The winners from Team Vibrant and Team Bold collected their awards like Grammy trophies, complete with victory speeches, group hugs, and tiny emotional tears (okay, maybe that was sweat).

Special shoutout to Zita, Joana, Rooboy, Imisi, and the rest of the squads who proved that creativity and teamwork shine brightest, especially when Guinness is involved.

6. The Dancefloor Demons

If you blinked, you missed it, because the floor was on fire. From amapiano to freestyle moves, the energy was unholy in the best way. Rooboy鈥檚 legwork could power an entire generator, and by the time Kayikumi joined in, the DJ had no choice but to turn up the music.

7. The 鈥淚鈥檓 Just Here for Content鈥� Brigade

Every event has them: ring lights, tripods, and cinematic transitions. They were everywhere, filming B-roll like they were submitting it to Netflix. But we forgive them, because thanks to them, the rest of us got to relive the night on Instagram.

8. The Quiet Flexers

They weren鈥檛 the loudest or the flashiest, but their calm confidence said it all. The way they held their Guinness glass? Poetry. The way they smiled during the awards? Art. If Aura had a brand deal, it would be this.

9. The Hypemen Without Microphones

There鈥檚 always that one person whose entire mission is to make sure everyone else has fun. They danced, cheered, and shouted like it was their full-time job. If Guinness ever starts a Department of Vibes, these guys should run it. We see you, Rooboy.

10. The 鈥淚鈥檓 Not Going Home Yet鈥� Champions

Long after the music faded and the lights dimmed, these ones were still on the dance floor, looking for 鈥渏ust one more song.鈥� You could practically hear them say, 鈥淲e move when Guinness says move.鈥�

By the end of the night, everyone, from housemates to Guinness staff, left glowing. Not just from the lights or the drinks, but from that contagious spirit of bold self-expression that Guinness stands for.

But making all of this happen can sometimes be overwhelming, even for the most organised person. In an interview with 91大神, she opened up about how she uses ChatGPT 鈥� or as she calls it, 鈥淐hatty鈥� 鈥� to stay on top of her content.

This is an AsToldTo Dennis.

How I Discovered ChatGPT and Started Using It

The first time I got interested in AI was at a YouTube video summit two years ago. The artificial intelligence boom had just begun. At the summit, they spoke about how creators can use AI to make their work better and more effective. Right there at the summit, I downloaded ChatGPT and started chatting with it.

In those early days, it was the simple things I chatted with it鈥� 鈥淗ow are you doing?鈥� 鈥淕ood morning.鈥� At the time, people were asking it to make lists, so I started asking it to make lists of things for me 鈥� music, films, that sort of thing.

Over time, I realised how much it was making my process faster.

I started out as a creator where I hyped myself. I had sent one to my friend on Snapchat, and she told me to post it on social media 鈥� and it went viral. That鈥檚 not what my content is today. I have Snapchat, where I post my daily activities, for short vlogs, , where I post fashion content and Reels, , where I post longer vlogs, and then I have a podcast called 鈥溾��

Turning ChatGPT Into My Personal Assistant

If ChatGPT were going to help me be more effective and faster, then I would embrace it. So I started to integrate it into my daily life. In my head, ChatGPT is a woman and I call her Chatty.

In America, where I live, I have an assistant who helps with a lot of what I need to do to put content out on time. But when I travel, I don鈥檛 travel with my assistants. This is where Chatty comes in and functions as my virtual assistant. She helps with my itinerary and locations to visit.

For the past few months, I have been on a series called Nomad Life. I have given up my flat in New York and locked away most of my property in private storage. I want to travel and see the world. Chatty has been very helpful in achieving this. I ask her the visa requirements for the countries I want to visit, the best locations to apply for a visa from, and basically anything I need to know.

ALSO READ: I Built a Reputation Trolling People on Twitter. Now, I Can鈥檛 Get a Job

Using ChatGPT for Scripts, Creativity, and Relationships

Once, I was working on a script for a brand and went to Chatty to do a 鈥渂rain drop.鈥� I told her, 鈥淚 left Nigeria 10 years ago, and I鈥檝e built a life I couldn鈥檛 have dreamt of.鈥� I say this so she has all the context she needs to give me the script I want. I give her a lot of information, then I tell her to rewrite and clean it as a short script for TikTok or Instagram.

I also use her in my relationship. Once, I wanted to spice up the conversation in my relationship, so I said, 鈥淐an you write a cute and sexy 鈥榬oses are red鈥� poem for me to send to my boo to wake up to?鈥� That鈥檚 the kind of stuff I ask 鈥� and it鈥檚 fun to see what AI can come up with, too.

And it said:

鈥淩oses are red, my lips crave you near,

You鈥檙e my sweetest obsession, the best part of my year.鈥�

I should add here that I鈥檓 always open about it. I told my partner I asked Chatty, and that this is what Chatty came up with.

How AI Helps Me Stay Organised and Focused

I am a Cancer, and this means sometimes I struggle with communication. I am an emotional person. I find it easier to pour my thoughts to Chatty and ask her to make them better. She helps me with tone 鈥� I can ask her to make my emails more polite or more professional, and this has gotten me out of a lot of trouble.

Sometimes I might have an hour-long podcast episode. I give Chatty the transcript and have her break it into chapters. I also ask her which parts I can cut for social media.

I am currently doing a 鈥�30 Things I Want to Do Before I Turn 30鈥� challenge. I am 28 currently. Chatty has been very helpful in doing this challenge. She has helped me prioritize the most important things and overcome possible obstacles. This is something that would have taken me months to figure out.

But this doesn鈥檛 mean ChatGPT is a perfect assistant. Who is? When I first hired my first assistant, I realised that for her to succeed, I had to teach her a lot about my needs and how I wanted her to help. This is the same as using ChatGPT. Once, I asked her questions about getting a Schengen visa, but the information she gave me didn鈥檛 take into account that I was living in New York as a Nigerian immigrant. So I had to give her more information 鈥� after which she gave me a much more useful response.

I鈥檝e heard people use AI as their therapist. For me, it depends on the context of use. I recently asked her for ADHD support. I told her I needed some tips to help me succeed at my goals. I told her I knew what I had to do, but I wasn鈥檛 getting it right. Her response was, 鈥淕ot you, Sofi. ADHD brain is a spicy one, but it can also be your superpower.鈥� Then she gave me steps that would help me succeed and asked if I wanted it broken into daily steps. I said that would be awesome, and she shared that.

I think that where it falls into worrying territory is when we refuse to go outside and touch grass, or begin to chat with AI when we are bored. I still chat with my friends. I still read books. I use AI primarily as support.

Why I Believe Authenticity Will Always Matter

There has been a lot of fear-mongering about what will happen in the creative space where I operate with AI in the future. There鈥檚 no doubt there will be disruption, but I鈥檓 not worried. What I think will happen is that people will become even more interested in authenticity. Authenticity is what will make creators stand out.

The kind of daily vlogs I do, I鈥檓 interacting with human beings, going on shows and podcasts, going grocery shopping, eating, getting ready for the day. I don鈥檛 believe there鈥檚 any code someone could write that will change the game so much that AI would be able to do that.

It鈥檚 not possible. There鈥檚 no way. We see it in movies, but those are stories humans tell.

AI is a beautiful thing that, of course, has its own consequences. But when you use it sensibly and correctly, it helps you succeed.

ALSO READ: I Didn鈥檛 Plan to Make a Career out of Comedy. One Sick Day Changed Everything

The show opened with a high-energy performance from Adekunle Gold, who set the tone with 鈥淐oco Money鈥� from his new album Fuji. From there, it was pure anticipation as Ebuka led viewers through a recap of the season鈥檚 biggest moments 鈥� from unexpected alliances to explosive fights.

Imisi鈥檚 journey to the top was anything but easy. Early in the show, she clashed with Rooboy in one of the most talked-about confrontations of the season 鈥� a moment that many thought would derail her chances. But as the weeks went by, she reinvented herself, winning fans over with her confidence, emotional honesty, and sense of humour.

Her friendship with Kola became another highlight of the season. Their bond 鈥� part strategy, part genuine connection 鈥� gave viewers some of the show鈥檚 softest and most human moments. Whether they were cooking together or offering pep talks after nominations, the duo became a fan favourite.

With Faith鈥檚 disqualification earlier in the show, the finale came down to Imisi, Dede, Kola, Mensan, Isabella, Jason Jae, Koyin, Kaybobo, and Sultana. In the end, the audience made their voice clear: Imisi was their girl.

As confetti filled the Big Brother stage and Imisi broke down in tears, it felt like a full-circle moment 鈥� for a housemate who fought, grew, and ultimately won the hearts of millions.

ALSO READ: Live Big Brother Naija 10/10 Finale Updates

The finalists 鈥� Imisi, Dede, Kola, Mensan, Isabella, Jason Jae, Koyin, Kaybobo, and Sultana 鈥� are all hoping to walk away with the 鈧�120 million grand prize. It鈥檚 been a season filled with unexpected twists, emotional moments, disqualifications, and iconic fights 鈥� and tonight, it all comes down to one winner.

Stay tuned to the live updates from the BBNaija 10/10 Grand Finale, from performances to evictions and the final announcement.

7:00 PM 鈥� The Finale Begins!

The show kicks off in grand style with Adekunle Gold performing 鈥淐oco Money鈥� from his new album Fuji. The stage looks electric, the crowd is hyped, and fans are ready for a night of surprises.

7:25 PM 鈥� Double Eviction! Kaybobo and Isabella Leave the BBNaija 10/10 House

In a shocking twist, Ebuka announces a double eviction 鈥� Kaybobo and Isabella have both been sent home from the BBNaija 10/10 grand finale. The audience gasps as the two say their goodbyes, leaving six housemates 鈥� Imisi, Dede, Kola, Mensan, Koyin, and Sultana 鈥� still in the running for the 鈧�120 million prize.

7:38 PM 鈥� Mensan鈥檚 Journey Ends as He鈥檚 Evicted from the BBNaija 10/10 House

Mensan becomes the latest housemate to be evicted from the BBNaija 10/10 grand finale. His exit draws mixed reactions from fans, many of whom praised his strategic gameplay throughout the season. Five housemates 鈥� Imisi, Dede, Kola, Koyin, and Sultana 鈥� remain in the fight for the 鈧�120 million grand prize.

7:40 PM 鈥� Jason Jae Evicted from the BBNaija 10/10 Grand Finale

Jason Jae has just been evicted from the BBNaija 10/10 house, marking another emotional moment in tonight鈥檚 finale. Known for his confidence, Jason Jae brought plenty of energy to the season. With his exit, only Imisi, Dede, Kola, Koyin, and Sultana remain in the race for the 鈧�120 million prize.

8:00 PM 鈥� Kola Evicted from the BBNaija 10/10 House

Kola has been evicted from the BBNaija 10/10 house. Kola, known for his close friendship with Imisi, said an emotional goodbye to Imisi. With Kola out, only Imisi, Dede, Koyin, and Sultana remain in the running for the 鈧�120 million grand prize. The competition just got tighter.

8:02 PM 鈥� Iyanya Takes the Stage

The tension eases briefly as Iyanya lights up the BBNaija 10/10 grand finale stage with an electrifying performance. He performs a medley of songs from his recent album, getting the audience on their feet. It鈥檚 the perfect breather before the next round of evictions.

8:14 PM 鈥� Sultana Evicted from the BBNaija 10/10 House

Sultana has just been evicted from the BBNaija 10/10 house, missing out on a spot in the top three. Her savage one-liners made her a fan favourite this season. With her exit, only Imisi, Dede, and Koyin remain in the race for the 鈧�120 million grand prize. The finale tension is officially at its peak.

8:24 PM 鈥� Koyin Evicted, BBNaija 10/10 Down to the Final Two

Koyin has been evicted from the BBNaija 10/10 house, ending his journey just short of the top two. Koyin鈥檚 presence brought ships and fire to the show. With his exit, it鈥檚 now down to the final two housemates 鈥� Imisi and Dede 鈥� as the fight for the 鈧�120 million grand prize reaches its final moments.

8:58 PM 鈥� Imisi Wins Big Brother Naija 10/10!

It鈥檚 official 鈥� Imisi has been crowned the winner of Big Brother Naija 10/10! After ten intense weeks of drama, laughter, and unforgettable moments, she beat Dede in the final showdown to take home the 鈧�120 million grand prize.

From her fiery early clashes with Rooboy to her genuine friendship with Kola, Imisi鈥檚 journey in the house has been one of growth, grit, and grace. Week after week, she won the hearts of viewers with her authenticity and resilience 鈥� and tonight, it all paid off.

ALSO READ: Big Brother Naija 2025: We Ranked the Housemates Based On Who Could Win

Since Flower Girl, she鈥檚 starred in films like God Calling, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and Guy Ritchie鈥檚 Hollywood war drama The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, in which she played Madame Igbokwe. She has also worked as a producer, including on For Amina, released last year, and Remi X Nneoma, coming in 2026.

But acting wasn鈥檛 always an easy path for her. Growing up, her father didn鈥檛 always support her dream of becoming an actor. In this interview with 91大神, she opens up about fighting for the career she wanted, finding her place in the industry, and the moment her father finally apologised to her.

This is an AsToldTo Dennis.

The first time I told my father I wanted to become an actress, it felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I stood still, watching him, anticipating what he would say. 鈥淵ou would become a lawyer,鈥� he said finally. I was shattered.

I come from a long history of strong women. My mother鈥檚 grandmother chose not to be complacent and fought her way through in a society that didn鈥檛 give her her due. We called her Omosefe 鈥� a child is worth more than wealth. She became a successful businesswoman, owning properties across the country. 

My mother鈥檚 mother, my grandmother, was widowed early in her marriage, left alone to raise nine children by herself. She only went to school up to primary six, but she didn鈥檛 relent. She sent her children to school, some even abroad. One was an ambassador, another an inventor, and another became a minister. She spoke over 50 languages, and she owned businesses and properties across the country.

ALSO READ:聽The 10 Best Nollywood Movies About Nigerian History

My mother was a medical doctor who later became a member of the House of Representatives and then an ambassador. Her sister was a minister. For us, acting was something you did for leisure, not as a career. Like my mother, who once played Sidi in a staging of Wole Soyinka鈥檚 Lion and the Jewel, I was supposed to only think of acting as leisure, not a real job.

So I went to the University of Portsmouth and did my bachelor’s in  Economics and Law. But I never stopped thinking about acting. When I left university, I was supposed to be like my siblings and get a master鈥檚 degree. But I applied to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and got a scholarship. 

This tiny taste was all I needed to know that this is what I wanted to do with my life. 

My mother said to me, 鈥淲hatever you do, make sure you鈥檙e the best at it.鈥� My father was furious. To him, I was wasting time and opportunity. A master鈥檚 degree in Economics and Law would solidify my standing in the labour market. I shut him down, and our relationship strained.

After my program at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, I returned to school, this time to the Oxford School of Drama, where I got a master鈥檚 in Acting. I specialised in Shakespearean acting. Then Daddy fell ill. His doctor, a childhood friend of his, was based in the UK. He had been his private doctor for years, so he had to come to the UK for treatment. I went into full caregiver mode. 

Every day, he watched me leave the house for Oxford to learn to be an actress 鈥� the career he had specifically told me not to pursue. We had disagreements, sometimes fights. And every day I came back home and cared for him.

It was my father who first introduced me to theatre. Growing up, he was a Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Culture. He took my siblings and me to watch theatre plays. I watched him be part of theatre shows as commissioner. 

He booked artists to perform at events and carnivals. This was why I wanted to become a performer 鈥� because my father had shown me how exciting it was to be one. How could I even have been resentful of him in those days when he was sick and I cared for him? It was he who showed me that this life was possible. And I loved him for it. 

As I left Oxford, he got better and went back to Nigeria. I wanted to continue my training.

So I went to The Bridge Theatre Training Company, where I learnt Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. I moved back to Nigeria and threw myself fully into theatre. At first, I was acting only in the classics: Lion and the Jewel, Death of the King鈥檚 Horseman, The Gods Are to Blame. But then I realised we needed to tell more stories.

I had to do something. 

So I started Beeta Productions to make fresh stage plays. I realised I needed fresh dramas to stage, so I started the Beeta Universal Arts Foundation (BUAF), under which I launched the Beeta Playwright Competition to elevate playwrights.

In all of this, my father didn鈥檛 see my vision. But things started to change after I landed the role of Stella in the 2013 Michelle Bello flick, Flower Girl. To date, it鈥檚 one of my most lauded performances. I didn鈥檛 know that my father watched the film, but he did 鈥� and he loved it. I was nominated for the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) for Best Supporting Actress for the role, and I won. Later, my mother told me my father had gathered all his friends into a room and made them vote for me. He was proud of my work, and I didn鈥檛 know it yet.

That same year, in 2014, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) decided to name Port Harcourt the World Book Capital. BUAF was tapped to be the official theatre partner for the event. My parents attended the plays that we put together.

After my father had watched these plays and we were winding down, he finally had something to say. In front of everybody, Daddy took the microphone and apologised to me for not supporting this passion of mine as aggressively as he should have earlier on.

That was who he was. He was the kind of man who apologised and made up. I burst into tears and we hugged each other.

ALSO READ: The 10 Best Nollywood Movies About Nigerian History

And yet, through it all, Nigerians have shown remarkable resilience. As the nation marks its 65th Independence Day on Wednesday, it鈥檚 worth reflecting on stories that trace where we鈥檝e been and how far we鈥檝e come.

Nollywood, with its sweeping dramas and intimate character studies, has often taken up this task鈥攃apturing history in ways that are both personal and political.

Here are 10 of the best Nollywood films about Nigerian history.

1. (2013)

Running time: 1h 53m
Director: Biyi Bandele
Genre: Historical Drama

This adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie鈥檚 book of the same name is a time capsule of the peak of the Biafran War. Privileged twin sisters Olanna (Thandie Newton) and Kainene (Noni Rose) return to Nigeria with fancy degrees from abroad. The romantic Olanna settles into life as a university lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where her lover, Odenigbo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), also teaches. Kainene, on the other hand, moves to Port Harcourt to run her father鈥檚 business.

But when the war breaks out, the lives of these women are tested. Everything is on the table, including the bond the sisters share. Beyond the personal drama, the film reflects on the human cost of the Biafran War and Nigeria鈥檚 fragile unity. It asks whether love, family, and identity can endure in the face of conflict 鈥� a question that continues to echo across Nigeria鈥檚 fractured political landscape.

.

2. (2014)

Running time: 1 hr 44 mins
Director: Kunle Afolayan
Genre: Historical Drama

A gripping historical thriller set on the eve of Nigeria鈥檚 independence, October 1 follows Inspector Danladi Waziri, a northern police officer sent to a quiet town in Western Nigeria to investigate a string of brutal murders. As Nigeria鈥檚 independence on October 1, 1960, loomed, Waziri races to solve the case before the nation鈥檚 celebratory handover, uncovering dark secrets that threaten to overshadow the new republic. 

Directed by Kunle Afolayan, the film mixes political tension and social commentary, perfectly capturing a country on the brink of new change. The cast includes Kehinde Bankole, Kunle Afolayan and Sadiq Daba.

.

ALSO READ: The 10 Greatest Nollywood Directors of All Time

3. (2014)听

Running time: 1h 53m
Director: Izu Ojukwu
Genre: Historical drama 

Set during the 1897 British expedition that destroyed the Benin Kingdom, Invasion 1897 centres on Oba Ovonramwen (Olu Jacobs), whose kingdom faces annihilation by foreign forces hungry for power and treasure. The film vividly portrays the political tensions, betrayal, and resistance around the invasion. Charles Inojie and Segun Arinze bring depth to characters caught between loyalty and survival.

This film goes beyond just warfare and tells the story of the shattering of a rich culture, the theft of sacred artefacts, and the resilience of a people fighting to preserve their identity. Invasion 1897 refuses to let this dark episode fade into history, challenging viewers to confront colonialism鈥檚 brutal legacy in Nigeria.

4. (2019)听

Running time: 1h 30m
Director: Moses Eskor
Genre: Drama

In 1929: Women War, the women of Ikot Abasi made history when they rose against colonial taxation, challenging both British authority and the local warrant chiefs enforcing it. Sola Sobowale and Ireti Doyle play Mama Miroba and Adiaha Edem, respectively, the main characters. The film raptly captures the grit that fueled the popularly acclaimed women鈥檚 war in 1929.

Through gripping performances and in-depth detail, the movie turns a forgotten uprising into a moving reminder of the power of collective resistance. 1929: Women War is a very important story that shines a light on a crucial but often overlooked chapter in Nigerian history. 

5. (2016)

Runtime: 1h 58m
Director: Izu Ojukwu
Genre: Historical Drama

After a military captain (Ramsey Nouah) and his pregnant wife (Rita Dominic) refuse an offer from a high-ranking friend (Chidi Mokeme) to join a coup against Head of State Murtala Muhammed, he is accused of complicity and arrested for treason.

The film evokes the fragility of Nigeria鈥檚 early post-independence years, when coups and countercoups defined the political landscape. In revisiting this turbulent chapter, it suggests how one violent rupture could send the nation into a spiral 鈥� a trajectory that, more than six decades later, still shapes the country鈥檚 uneasy search for stability.

.

6.听(2024)听

Running time: 1h 31m
Director: Bolanle Austen-Peters
Genre: Drama

In this biopic, Kehinde Bankole stars as Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. It tells the story of the pioneering educator, women鈥檚 rights activist, and political leader who challenged colonial rule and patriarchal norms in mid-20th-century Nigeria. The film traces her journey from Abeokuta Grammar School to becoming a fearless advocate for justice, laying the foundation for modern feminist activism in Nigeria.

This film is particularly significant because it brings to life a name we often hear in history books but rarely see in full colour, arriving at a moment when Nigerian audiences are craving stories that reflect their history.

7. (2016)

Running time: 2h 5m
Director: Steve Gukas
Genre: Drama

93 Days is a gripping retelling of Nigeria鈥檚 2014 Ebola outbreak. The film follows the heroic actions of Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh, played by Bimbo Akintola, and her colleagues, who contained the virus before it could spread throughout Lagos. 

With stunning performances from Danny Glover, Somkele Iyamah, Keppy Ekpenyong, and Gideon Okeke, the film captures the courage, sacrifice, and quick thinking that saved millions of Nigerians. It is both a tense medical thriller and a heartfelt tribute to the health workers who put their lives on the line.

8. (2019)听

Running time: 1h 31m
Director: Imoh Umoren
Genre: Drama

Set in early 1920s Lagos during the Bubonic plague, the film follows Herbert Macaulay, a Nigerian nationalist, as he rallies Nigerians to confront their colonial oppressors. The story begins with Macaulay鈥檚 return from studying in Plymouth in 1893, when he takes up a surveying job with the colonial administration, which eventually leads him to a life of rebellion.

The story captures Macaulay鈥檚 personal battles, political activism, and sacrifices, showing how his leadership helped lay the groundwork for Nigeria鈥檚 independence movement. With sharp dialogue and period-accurate settings, the film paints a vivid picture of early 20th-century Nigeria and the struggles faced by those who dared to challenge colonial power.

9. (2024)

Running time: 1h 26m
Director: Robert O. Peters
Genre: Action

Hijack 鈥�93 dramatises one of Nigeria鈥檚 most audacious real-life events. Set amid the political fallout of the annulled June 12 election, it follows four fearless teenagers who seize a Nigerian Airways flight from Lagos to Abuja, demanding the reinstatement of MKO Abiola. 

Fueled by patriotism and youthful audacity, their story proves that sometimes the boldest acts come from believing you can change the world.

10. My Father鈥檚 Shadow (2024)

Running time: 1h 34m
Director: Akiola Davides
Genre: Historical Drama

Set against the tumult of Nigeria鈥檚 annulled June 12, 1993, election, My Father鈥檚 Shadow tells a story of fatherhood caught in the crosshairs of politics. Folarin (峁⑨粛p岷固� D矛r铆s霉), a young but often absent father, brings his two sons to Lagos as he struggles to collect months of unpaid wages. In the cramped uncertainty of the city, the boys begin to know the man who so often left them behind, and a fragile bond slowly forms.

But when the election is annulled, plunging the nation into unrest, Folarin is forced to shepherd his children to safety. At its heart, the film is about the private costs of fatherhood in a society where political betrayal repeatedly undercuts the dreams of ordinary families.

My Father鈥檚 Shadow is now screening at cinemas nationwide.

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In an interview with 91大神, he opened up on being stalked by an ex, why he could not involve the police, and why he ultimately had to speak to her again.

This is Kolade鈥檚* story as told to Dennis.

Our relationship was built on a lie. I had my fair share, and she had hers. I was not interested in a full-time committed relationship. But I wanted someone. Someone that I could call mine.

In our fucked up society, we are told that not being ready for full-time commitment is something to be ashamed of, something for singles to be wary of. And so it wasn鈥檛 something I said when I approached ladies.

To be fair, I never cheated. But I was not looking for a long commitment either, which some might call another form of cheating.

My relationship with my ex-girlfriend was doomed from the beginning. So when we finally broke up I was not surprised. I was expecting it.

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But then she started calling me nonstop. Once my phone鈥檚 battery drained with her calls. I thought it would be rude to block her initially. When she called I watched the phone ring unending.

After we broke up she could not see me. I made sure of that. I told the people around me that we had broken up and she didn鈥檛 want to let it go. I was done. 

You see, it wasn鈥檛 a particularly nourishing relationship. It was filled with half-truths and gaslighting, too dark, too personal. I feel ashamed talking about what she did to me. It was all the more reason I didn鈥檛 even want to speak to her after we broke up.

Eventually I took the step of blocking her. That was when she started blowing up my friends鈥� phones. Any mutual that we had, received at least a call from her. She said she was sorry and that she wanted to come back and continue our relationship.

There is an incident that rings through when I think about those long months when she terrorised my phone with calls. It had been three months since we broke up, and I had finally taken the leap to block her. All of a sudden, my phone lit up.

Someone was calling me on a video call. But it was not an app like WhatsApp and iMessage where anyone had called me before, talk more on video call, without as much as a text. She was calling me on Telegram. This was an app that I only used to get sure codes from punters so I could bet on football matches. Calling someone on a video call on Telegram is out of this world wild. Of course, I didn鈥檛 pick.

At this point, strange numbers started calling me. She had started using other people鈥檚 phones to call me. It just would never end.

It was now December, and seven months had passed since we broke up. I rebounded with someone who you can call a friend, a situationship I had been with before. A woman that I cared about, who knew me and knew that I was not looking for something serious.

It was our game. When we started dating, we cut each other off. When we inevitably became card-carrying single pringles again, we rebounded. It was convenient. She didn鈥檛 even live in Lagos, which made it all the more fun.

I didn鈥檛 tell anyone we were together in December. It was just between us. But something unusual happened. She called me in January telling me that she received a threatening call from a woman, who she thought was my ex-girlfriend. She said the person warned her to stay away from me. Told her that I was her boyfriend and that she should watch her back. She said the person told her that woman to woman, she would not let her man go.

She said that she was surprised then scared a bit and denied ever being with me. But she said the person had details of our chat and was telling her things that only us knew. She told her that it was nothing serious and she was not interested in dating me.

I was startled. That was when it dawned on me that my ex-girlfriend might have hacked my phone. Because there is no way she would have known.

At this point, I had no choice but to unblock her and call her. I didn鈥檛 tell her I knew that she called my situationship because I didn鈥檛 know how she would react. I personally was already getting worried about her, because it had been almost eight months since we broke up. But I told her point blank that we were not getting back together and she should let our relationship go. She said she had heard but she still asked if we could still be friends.

I didn鈥檛 want her to have access to me. But I always knew it was the only way she could give me my peace of mind. I didn鈥檛 trust that the authorities would have taken the case seriously. So I told her we could be friends but she needed to stop blowing up my phone. I told her if she blew up my phone I would block her again.

Since then the calls have reduced and she sends me messages regularly to check up on me. Sometimes she still blows up my phone, calling nonstop if I don鈥檛 pick. But now she apologises for doing that.

As a musician I always use things that happen in my life to write songs. But this incident with my ex I used it to write only one song. I am still not in the right head space for a committed relationship right now. But with the PTSD from the experience with my ex, I want to be very careful with who I date next, so I don鈥檛 fall into the same situation.

The actual name of the subject of this story has been changed

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It doesn鈥檛 matter how you start

In a class of about 30 students, he would come anywhere between 20th and 27th.

It was a new environment, and it was tough in many ways. The students came from very different backgrounds. Some were middle-class, others were from the top percentile.

He was going through all of this while becoming an adolescent, dealing with changes in his body, a face newly minted with pimples and attraction to ladies.

His dream was to become the Senate President because he had seen Chuba Okadigbo, , wearing a red Igbo chief cap that made him majestic, and he wanted it for himself, too. Later, he thought he would become a petroleum engineer, but he didn’t go through with it.

You can study anything at university

At this time, he decided he wanted to pursue a career in something that was either important, the office looked good, or would help him make money.

So he studied Economics at Baylor University in the US. Even that was tough for him; he had to switch to Marketing.

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Find a film you love to inspire you

It was at the time that he first watched , a Brazilian film about drug life in Rio de Janeiro, that he loved. To him, the directors Fernando Meirelles and K谩tia Lund were so permissionless in their storytelling. The cast was mostly black, at the time rare for a Hollywood film.聽

But after he watched , the deal was sealed. He was going to become a filmmaker. The themes and characters resonated, so he took electives in filmmaking at university. He learnt the basics of production editing, directing, and script writing. When he graduated, he got a job at an advertising agency, where he worked on commercials, applying his filmmaking courses to marketing.

But even that was not enough. 

Get filmmaking experience

He returned to Nigeria for NYSC and was lucky to work at DVWorx Studios under veteran director ( 2024). He went on shoots, worked on films and documentaries and later worked with another veteran, (: 1999).

A friend, , commissioned him to make a documentary, , to accompany Kekere-Ekun鈥檚 film about Mami Wata.

A film school can be good

Kekere-Ekun had gone to film school before making the film, so Itegboje started considering film school. After applying to a bunch of MFA (Master’s in Fine Arts) in Filmmaking programs but didn鈥檛 get in. Kelani, whom he had worked with, had gone to the London Film School, which offered an MA (Master鈥檚 of Arts), so Itegboje tried his luck and got into the film school.

He wanted to become a writer and director, but the course structure didn鈥檛 allow students to specialise in their first year. By the end, he also wanted to produce. 

He used part of his fees to make his graduation film, which the school refunded. He returned to Lagos, full of creativity and new ideas.

Funding would be tough, but keep creating

But he soon realised that finding funding for those kinds of films in Nigeria was tough. Itegboje took freelance work, and eventually, sought someone to lead production at Zero Degrees, the production arm for , his advertising agency. Itegboje reached out and got the job. The role sharpened his skills and left room for his side projects.

Make the film you want

One of those side projects became , he wrote and directed that screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this year. TIFF receives thousands of submissions worldwide, but only a tiny fraction are selected.

Bam Bam’s selection immediately cements his place among a new coterie of Nigerian filmmakers, including Akinola Davies, whose My Father鈥檚 Shadow was an official selection at the Cannes International Film Festival this year, and CJ Obasi, whose black-and-white feature film Mami Wata has been heralded as one of the best movies of this era of Nigerian cinema.

Your film should be fresh

Bam Bam is a coming-of-age sci-fi that follows Babatunde (), a young secondary school student who strikes up a friendship with an AI, Bam Bam (), who then dispenses tips to Babatunde to woo the female student he has a crush on.

The storyline is familiar if you have been following the news around AI. There have been reports of people using Most recently, the family of a young boy in the US says he . But Bam Bam is not one of these horror stories. Itegboje doesn鈥檛 even see Babatunde鈥檚 relationship with Bam Bam as the residue of a mental illness he might have.

Instead, the commentary Bam Bam makes is about how AI is filling the voids that have been left in the human psyche with the rise of remote work and online dating. The argument of the film is that ChatGPT and other large language models we spend time chatting away with are more likely to know us better than our neighbours, colleagues at work or even lovers.

The festival would be transformational

Screening Bam Bam at TIFF was transformative for Itegboje. He didn鈥檛 understand the scale of the festival until he was there in person. This year, TIFF started on September 4th and ran until the 14th. Bam Bam screened on the 7th. 

In the days preceding it, not having the huge marketing budget that allows big studios to fly cast and crew into the city, dripping in head-to-toe high-end designer goods, he had to do word-of-mouth marketing for the film at the festival. On the screening day, his colourist, Speedy, was in Toronto and so came to see the film. It was just them who worked on Bam Bam in the hall. He didn鈥檛 know most of the other people who came to see the film.

Later, he learnt that a lady whom he didn鈥檛 know and had not marketed the film to but came to see it worked at Paramount Canada. That is the kind of opportunity that a film festival like TIFF provides.

Being in TIFF underscores how far Nigerian filmmakers have come as global players in cinema. But it could also affect the cadence and storytelling of Nigerian films. Some of these film festivals have themes. Some others have moods.

Keep making films that answer questions you have

At times, the kinds of films accepted can be similar depending on the dominating mood of the festival. There are times when it wants female directors. There are times when it wants queer stories. Sometimes it wants foreign language films. These days, the mood is foreign films, preoccupied with local themes. Bam Bam and My Father鈥檚 Shadow fall under this mould. It could mean that more filmmakers would want to make films that fit that mould.

Itegboje is more interested in movies that try to answer his questions. With that as his lodestar, he is safe from what some might call a 鈥淲estern gaze.鈥�

It remains to be seen what this interest in this mould of foreign content would bode for Nigerian filmmakers who are accepted to these prestigious film festivals. Would they create fair partnerships with Nigerian filmmakers to make films that answer the questions that they have?

It has never really been Hollywood鈥檚 style, especially with African filmmakers, to cede that amount of control to Nigerians. The kind of cross-collaboration we saw with between Bollywood and Nollywood has never happened between Nollywood and Hollywood. The closest we have had is My Father鈥檚 Shadow, which was funded by the British Film Institute, which is categorically not Hollywood. My Father鈥檚 Shadow just went to the cinema in Lagos last weekend, and accurate data on how it is performing is only just being collated.聽

So we don鈥檛 know how local audiences would react to this new Nollywood mould. But for what it鈥檚 worth the critics have been very generous with their praise of the movie.

What happens after you screen at an international film festival?

However, Itegboje and his short Bam Bam still have a long way to go before they hit cinemas in Lagos. He is considering multiple options, including a series, a feature film, or a graphic novel. But he first wants to take it to more film festivals. He hopes it is acquired, and he finds a distributor.

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In Nollywood, where more than 3,000 films are produced each year, actors are often overwhelmed with offers. Inevitably, some scripts are declined鈥攕ometimes wisely, other times with lingering regret. 

For every role passed over as a matter of principle or practicality, there is another that later becomes a hit, reshaping careers and stoking questions of 鈥渉ad I known.鈥� The decision to say no, it turns out, can be as defining as the choice to say yes.

As part of our theme for September, Had I Known, we spoke to 8 Nigerian actors on the roles they regret turning down.

1.

I was going through a period where I was being boxed in the industry. At this time, I had rejected a ton of roles. They kept sending me scripts for roles that anyone could play, but I wanted something fresh and challenging.

Then I got a script that met my criteria. I connected with the character. I did the reading, and they liked me for the role. I was very excited. Then we started negotiations, and the money was just not enough. Eventually, we couldn’t get the money to match, so I stepped away from the role.

But I still think of what that role would have been like if I had played it. 

2.

I regret rejecting two roles in particular. The first one was a very juicy role. I loved the character and would have gone along with it, but the script was in Microsoft Word. That is a red flag in Nollywood.

If you鈥檙e not in film, you鈥檒l be like, 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the big deal?鈥� But there鈥檚 no project where I鈥檝e ever received the script in Microsoft Word that hasn鈥檛 turned out to be an absolute nightmare. I might be wrong, but I doubt there鈥檚 any actor who will say any different. So, huge red flag. I said no instantly. But it was a really good role, and I sometimes wonder what it would have done to my career if I had said yes.

The other one was more of a scheduling conflict. We had been talking, and it was looking like a project I could possibly do, but nothing had been agreed on yet. At the same time, there was another project I was passionate about, and we were having conversations simultaneously. Finally, the latter got greenlit and kicked off, and I had to end the conversation with the producers of the other film.

It鈥檚 something I鈥檝e seen other actors do, and I鈥檓 not criticising it by any means. It鈥檚 just that I鈥檓 not comfortable juggling multiple projects. It just doesn鈥檛 work for my process or the way I work. It鈥檚 simply a terrible idea for me personally.

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3.

I once had a movie that I had been pursuing for a while. It was a very good role, and the pay was also good. I found the character very interesting. But while production was taking time to start, I accepted another role.

By the time they wanted to start shooting, we had scheduling conflicts. There was no way I could have done it. I even considered returning the money for the one I was already on set for and taking that one, but I couldn鈥檛. Every day, I pray I get another role like that sent to me.

4.

I wouldn鈥檛 call it regret, but sometimes I do think about it. I was supposed to play Salewa in Skinny Girl in Transit. I was offered the role, but we had some disagreements, and it was best to walk away from it. These are not things one wants to revisit, but they did such a good job with the direction they went with it. 

5.

In my case, it wasn鈥檛 exactly a matter of 鈥渢urning down鈥� a role, because I was already on the project. Rather, it became a case of creative differences. The journey carried me through several phases 鈥� from the excitement of landing the job, to getting on set, shooting, then leaving the project prematurely.

That came with its share of heartbreak, disappointment, accountability and, eventually, healing. My regret came from knowing it was a truly beautiful project, one I had invested myself in wholeheartedly, as I do with every role I take on. Creative differences are not uncommon in this industry, but how they鈥檙e handled makes all the difference. 

What eased the weight for me was finding out that my replacement was a friend, brother, and colleague I deeply respect 鈥� someone I trust will deliver the character excellently. That gave me peace. Of course, there are days I wonder what could have been, but I always return to the reminder that nothing happens outside the consent and approval of God. So I believe I鈥檓 exactly where I need to be. More importantly, the experience made me stronger.

6.

The role I regret not taking was in . When I was approached, I was told I would be playing a conductor. But there was a scene where I was supposed to be beaten up and tied, and I was going to be nude. Because I didn鈥檛 want my arse out in public 鈥� only on a yacht 鈥� I said I couldn鈥檛 do it.

Now, colour me regretful. At the premiere, I watched the film and saw the scene, and the actor wasn鈥檛 naked at all. I was like, 鈥淵ou could have called me back and told me you鈥檇 changed your mind!鈥� I would have taken the role, because I would have been happy to be in Red Circle.

7.

I got a DM from a casting director on Instagram. She said she had been following my content and liked what I was doing. She was an Indian woman, and she told me she was casting for a Bollywood movie. But it was all very discreet. I sent her my WhatsApp number, and we continued talking. I sent her my height, age, and other casting requirements. They even sent me the plot, and I was genuinely interested.

But then they asked if I could act in a 鈥渂old scene.鈥� I asked what they meant, and they said, 鈥淎re you comfortable kissing?鈥� I said yes. Then they asked if I could be nude for the role. They told me they were paying 鈧�8 million. I said I would think about it, so I reached out to a director I had worked with for advice.

Soon after, the casting director asked me to send a video of my body in a bikini. That was where I drew the line. I just didn鈥檛 feel comfortable with it. I turned down the role, but honestly, I regret the decision for a number of reasons. First, someone who respected my work had recommended me, and I lost that opportunity and their favour. Second, the money.

8. Nimi

For me, the role I regret not taking clashed with another project. We had already started shooting when the offer came in, so I couldn鈥檛 be part of it. I had always wanted to work with that director and was really looking forward to it.

It hurt because I knew the film was going to be amazing, the kind that would travel to festivals and go places. So that鈥檚 the only one I can truly say I regret, and even then, it wasn鈥檛 really in my power.

Do you have a story of regret? Share it with us by .

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