If you鈥檙e 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鈥檝e 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鈥檚 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 fianc茅 does a runner and her bank accounts hit zero. She鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 designated role of 鈥渟haking tables鈥� with their own in-house roundtable discussions.

And there鈥檚 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鈥檚 friendship?

While we wait for answers by 10pm this night, here鈥檚 what they鈥檝e been getting up to since leaving the house.

The season鈥檚 resident IT girl hasn鈥檛 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.

听

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. 

听

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鈥檚 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鈥檚 clearly going to be in our faces for some time. 

The听听is 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.听Real stories, expert advice you can actually use, and a community ready to build wealth together.听.

Whether he鈥檚 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 鈥� 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 鈥渓aid-back man pushed into wickedness by a toxic wife鈥� 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鈥檛 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鈥檛 understand his wife鈥檚 severe postpartum depression. His performance makes you deeply frustrated with him, but you also realise he isn’t a monster. He鈥檚 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鈥檚 dark and intense. He delivered.

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READ NEXT: I Watched The Nollywood Movie 鈥淏lood Sister鈥� So You Don鈥檛 Have To

5. Koyejo in (2020)

Running time: 2h 31m

Director: Kunle Afolayan

Genre: Drama 

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

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4. Akin in (2024 鈥� 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鈥檛 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 鈥渇ake it till you make it鈥� 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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ALSO READ: The 10 Best Nollywood Movies to Watch On YouTube (June 2026)

If you鈥檙e looking for romantic stories and family dramas, this list of the best Nollywood movies on YouTube is your best bet for June.

10. (2026)

Running time: 1h 41m

Director: Olowojaiye Michael

Genre: Drama, Romance

Adaobi (Sandra Okunzuwa) and her man, Tunde (Daniel Etim Effiong) are committed to each other. But the struggle to keep their ship sailing through the aggressive waves of distance, time is doing a serious number on them. Just as they are fighting for their lives to stay connected, a lady called Grace (Audrey Harrison) steps into the chat to shake the entire table. Her sudden arrival puts Adaobi and Tunde鈥檚 trust to the test and strains their commitment to the limit. Now, they have to fight to keep what they have or let it crash and burn.

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9. (2026)

Running time: 2h 9m

Director: Omoruyi Efosa Emmanuel

Genre: Drama

Being a Nigerian firstborn daughter is a full-time job with zero pay, and because of that, Monica (Uche Montana) is finally ready to quit. After years of acting as the breadwinner for her highly toxic and ungrateful family, the good sis decides to choose her peace. She draws a boundary, distances herself from the shege, and focuses on glowing up and securing the bag. But when things start finally making sense, her father passes away, leaving behind a gap. Now, she has to take care of the family’s needs.

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8. (2026)

Running time: 2h 1m

Director: Mo’s Fakorede

Genre: Drama, Romance

After a heartbreak, Titi (Ekama Etim-Inyang) is a fashion designer and boss lady who switches up her personality to shrink herself and transform into the perfect woman another man will desire and love. She meets Tobi (Michael Dappa) and their romance is piping hot but only for a while. They鈥檝e both been faking it, trying to be who the versions they think the other person wants to date. Distance comes between them, but love has its way of sneaking up on people. They find their way to each other again.

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7. (2026)

Running time: 1h 51m

Director: Olubunmi Akingbola

Genre: Drama, Romance

Hadiza鈥檚 (Inegbenebor Osereme) 鈥淕od when鈥� marriage with Terfa (Bobby Ekpe), a man who carries her in his head, gets hit because of a mistake. Both of them, now stuck in the middle of a big marital crisis, are forced to sit down and chew on the very bitter pill that only love isn鈥檛 enough.

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6. (2026)

Running time: 1h 31m

Director: Great Valentine Edochie

Genre: Drama, Romance

Anjola (Bolaji Ogunmola) and her husband, Folarin (Femi Jacobs), are going through the struggle of infertility. The pressure of trying to conceive has put their marriage in frustration. It all boils over during one highly intense night of frustration where they鈥檙e forced to ask the hard questions: do they give up, or is it time to look for a Plan B?

Desperate for the babies they鈥檝e been dreaming of, they decide to play their last card: surrogacy. But its entire process brings out anxiety and deep-seated fears that threaten to stretch their relationship and faith to breaking point.

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READ NEXT:听The 10 Best Nollywood Movies of the 2000s, Across Every Genre

5. (2026)

Running time: 2h 13m

Director: Great Valentine Edochie

Genre: Drama

Ifedayo and Ifeoluwa are twin sisters (both played by Bimbo Ademoye) with the same face and physique, but opposite characters. Ifedayo is smart, calm and composed. Ifeoluwa is smart too, but more carefree and feisty. They鈥檙e a unit, always together until their academics separate them. Further along the line, Ifedayo cuts off her family, including her sister, to do life alone. But a tragedy hits, and she鈥檚 forced to come back home.

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4. (2026)

Running time: 2h 1m

Director: Mo鈥� Fakorede

Genre: Drama, Faith

In an epic Yoruba setting, this movie tells the biblical story of Hannah (Teniola Aladese), a woman who lives in a society that places her entire value on her ability to conceive. For years, she has faced humiliation and ridicule for not bearing a child. But she never falters even when the pressure gets to her. She always takes her frustrations and tears to the altar, standing ten toes in prayer. One day, her faith rewards her and her story changes.

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3. (2026)

Running time: 1h 40m

Director: Jide 鈥淛Blaze鈥� Oyegbile

Genre: Drama

Fifteen-year-old ambitious besties Tiwa and Lala in a dusty rural town are holding each other down to escape the stagnant life of their environment. They’re aware of their families鈥� endless expectations and they plan to secure their future through scholarships. When the results come, only one of them gets the scholarship, leaving the other feeling she’s being behind. This changes everything, and nothing is really the same again.

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2. (2026)

Running time: 1h 38m

Director: Olubunmi Akingbola

Genre: Drama

Boarding school is already its own set of trenches, but imagine your single mom dropping you off and completely forgetting you exist just so she can enjoy her life. Just when Romade (Eronini Osinachim) is settling into loneliness, one teacher, Mr Akande (Jude Chukwuka), steps up and becomes a father-figure to him. But the decision to play daddy to someone else鈥檚 child is putting his marriage at risk and dragging his reputation through the mud.

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1. (2026)

Running time: 1h 57m

Director: Isioma Osaje

Genre: Drama, Romance

Ify鈥檚 younger brother鈥檚 football dream is crushed after a hit-and-run. The culprit is a reckless kid of the Lawals, a wealthy and powerful family, who tries to bury the case. But Ify isn鈥檛 going to sit and cry tears while her brother fights for his life at the hospital. She sets out to expose the Lawals, but she needs to get closer to them. So, she becomes their house manager. She uncovers secrets about the family, and soon realises that the mission is bigger than she ever bargained for.

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ALSO READ: 听10 Nigerian Musicians Who鈥檝e Shocked Us With Great Acting

From heart stopping romantic comedies to gripping action movies, Nollywood has shown it’s a diverse space with something for everyone. Whatever genre you鈥檙e into, there鈥檚 something for you. Here鈥檚 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.

鈥婲ot 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鈥檚 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).

鈥婫loria is living the ultimate Nigerian dream鈥攎arried to a sweet man who calls her “dorling”鈥攚hile 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鈥檒l 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鈥檛 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鈥檚 director will fight me if he sees this, The Black Book is, in many ways, Nigeria鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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 fianc茅 (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鈥檚 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鈥檚 because it鈥檚 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鈥檃 (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

The听听is 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.听Real stories, expert advice you can actually use, and a community ready to build wealth together.听.

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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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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READ NEXT:听Why Your Favourite Nollywood Films Can鈥檛 Get Every Detail Right

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鈥檚 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 fa莽ade 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鈥檚 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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ALSO READ:听10 Cheesy Nollywood Romcoms That鈥檒l Have You Giggling And Kicking Your Feet

It鈥檚 a powerful quote and it holds some truth. But we tend to use it selectively, conveniently and without asking what it costs.

What does it mean to reflect the times in 2026, to put a mirror down and show what stands before it? Nina Simone wrote 鈥溾�� after the murders of Emmett Till and Medgar Evers in Mississippi and the bombing of four young black girls in a church in Birmingham. She became professionally radioactive for it and lost multiple bookings and got blacklisted. We can say she paid dearly for using her voice and her reflection in full.

That’s the standard the quote sets. Here鈥檚 where Nigerians need to ask if that鈥檚 what we want when we make demands of celebrities today.

Over the weekend, Nigeria was caught up in a jarring screen-split of cultural celebrations and harrowing tragedy. 

On Friday, May 29, 2026, thousands gathered in Ijebu-Ode for the annual festival, a grand display of Yoruba heritage with horses, traditional fashion and theatrics.

Others flocked to the .

While some kilometres away, a much darker reality sat. Somewhere in Oyo State, over 40 people, including children below age seven, have been held captive for over two weeks, following .

This is how we arrived at the glaring hypocrisy of collective reaction.

We spent the weekend pointing fingers, festival-goers insulting ravers and vice versa.

In the end, we outsourced our conscience to celebrities, aggressively demanding that they speak out.

When they didn鈥檛, we raged at their silence and performative activism while refusing to look in the mirror at our complicity鈥� partying in the shadow of national crises.

History tells us there were parties in Lagos during the Civil War. When writers tell the stories of this period in the future, they鈥檒l include that there were parties in the same states as murders and abductions.

What are we demanding when we ask celebrities to speak up? Awareness isn鈥檛 the problem anymore. The abductions no longer happen in secret. Perpetrators now document it all in broad daylight and post on the internet like any other 鈥淒ay in the Life鈥� content. We see the grief of the victims鈥� families with our eyes in real time.听

Every Nigerian with a smartphone knows.

Our celebrities can鈥檛 generate clarity or solutions. At best, they give us a 48-hour news cycle, a window for trending grief before the algorithm sends us something else. At worst, the hope that something will be done because a few popular folks used their social media to speak up.

READ THIS:听15 Nigerian Songs About Problems We鈥檙e Still Facing Today

We see celebrity faces, styles and personas constructed for the public. But what do we know of their politics? How often do they demonstrate their thinking around power or the state? Have they shown where their moral compass points when there鈥檚 no crowd watching? If the answer is no, then the moment we focus on demanding that someone speak without knowing whether they have anything worth saying, we lower the bar for what counts as important at critical moments like this.

We have partitioned ourselves so efficiently that the rave and the tragedy coexist in us without appropriate concern. We cross state lines to party, hiding our movements so our loved ones won鈥檛 worry. We鈥檙e the same everyday citizens who, if our family member was kidnapped today, would scrape together the ransom. The same people who attend Ojude Oba or weekend raves, or wish we had.

No one鈥檚 observing this crisis from a guilt-free zone. We exist in the same numbness we condemn in famous people. This numbness is a natural defence mechanism; the human mind wasn鈥檛 built to process mass suffering. Yet, paradoxically, it鈥檚 from this state of dissociation that we throw our outrage at celebrities who haven鈥檛 鈥渟poken up鈥�. 

The听听is 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.听Real stories, expert advice you can actually use, and a community ready to build wealth together.听.

Celebrity platforms are built from public attention, affection and currency. The public, therefore, has legitimate interests in what the platforms do. The accumulated reach has the capacity to attract the government鈥檚 attention, if nothing else.

However, it鈥檚 important that we ask the people we have made famous if they have something real to offer. Do they have the resources, consistent advocacy, access, or anything significant that goes beyond the trending topic?

It鈥檚 true that celebrities have a duty to reflect the times, but Nina Simone was speaking to people who had developed something to say, had relationships to issues that went deeper than their follower count and were willing to pay the cost, personal or professional. 

Perhaps what needs correction is the idea that calling out celebrities for silence doesn鈥檛 exempt us. As we summon that standard for others, we should be willing to meet it ourselves.

Many Nigerians are still in captivity across Nigeria, from , to and .

Advocacy requires sacrifice, and demanding that level of sacrifice from a celebrity while offering none ourselves is hypocritical. 

ALSO READ:听Afrobeats Has a Violence Problem

1. “Very soon penniless beggars will start flooding my house.”

As malicious as this statement sounds, Mama G was really only looking after her daughter’s interest.

2. “Do you know how much she spends on manicure?”

Mama G has always been the realest. How exactly is Amaka supposed to be doing laundry with her cunty nails?

3. “What do you do for a living?”

The one billion dollar question that decides if you have a future In her daughter’s life or not.
If you don’t have billionaire tendencies, forget it.

4. “Since she’s not pregnant, it means she hasn’t been sleeping around.”

This is exactly how you shut down an unfounded rumour especially from a jilted ex.

4. “Have you entered aeroplane before?”

What better way to placate your heartbroken daughter than the promise of an all-expenses paid for flight to Lagos to shop for clothes?

5. “A man who truly loves a girl will not leave without communicating.”

This is the kind of advice you should be getting from your best friend when you’re mourning an avoidant partner.

6. “I can only allow you marry him on some conditions.”

Yeah, it sounds outrageous. But can’t a girl plan burial rites for her grandma on someone else’s tab?

7. “You are unelightened.”

This is actually the only perfect response to anyone who tries to police your dressing or your life. Forgive them for their ignorance and walk out.

8. “Which King?”

She basically said: Who be Kwansogbu? For context, this is one of Nsogbu’s (her husband’s brother) many efforts to try to bully her. One thing is sure, Mama G will not let anyone bully her.

9.”Make sure you give him that mark on his body.”

Sometimes violence is the answer to bullies who can’t keep their hands to themselves.

ALSO READ: How 10 of The Most Iconic Nollywood Villains of All Time

The听听is 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.听Real stories, expert advice you can actually use, and a community ready to build wealth together.听.

But not long after the teaser dropped, people began voicing their displeasure with what they deemed as inaccuracies. Particularly with the prison uniforms.

The scene showed some of the characters in prison wearing khaki outfits that looked very similar to the orange prison uniforms prisoners in countries like the US wear. And instantly, people started complaining that it did not look Nigerian enough.

But some of these inaccuracies are not simply the result of mediocrity. In some cases, it’s a fear of something bigger.

For example, did you know the producers of Gangs of Lagos were for 10 billion naira over their portrayal of the Eyo Masquerade institution in the film?

The lawsuit, filed by Isale Eko Descendants Union, alleged that the film wrongly associated the revered Eyo Masquerade with murder and gang violence. The case was eventually settled amicably through a formal apology from Amazon and the filmmakers to the Isale Eko people.

Similarly, the 2025 movie, Badagry, from the Ogu General Assembly who argued that the film misrepresented their community as violent.
After the public uproar and intervention of the National Film and Videos Censor Board, the producers had to retitle the film to “I Bad”.

But public outrage is only one part of the equation. There’s also censorship. In 2024, the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB)

Outside of budget constraints or logistical issues, these restrictions play a huge role in stifling the creative freedom of filmmakers.

When the choice is between changing a few things or not getting the story out at all, it’s not surprising that many filmmakers choose the former.

So the next time you want to criticise a Nollywood film for getting certain details wrong, remember that not every inaccurate detail is proof of incompetence.

ALSO READ: Are YouTube Movies the Future of Nollywood?听

The听听is 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.听Real stories, expert advice you can actually use, and a community ready to build wealth together.听.

For this list, I didn鈥檛 just pick the 鈥渂est鈥� songs from each year. We picked the songs that defined the year. The metrics used to select these specific heavyweights are cultural impact, street penetration, nostalgia value and unrivalled dominance.

Here are the Nigerian songs that defined every single year from 2000 to 2010. Let鈥檚 get into it.

2000: 鈥淢athematics鈥� 鈥� Sound Sultan

This is one of the earliest Nigerian pop songs to explore social commentary and bring it into the mainstream. Sound Sultan鈥檚 鈥淢athematics鈥� uses humour, satire, pidgin, poking lyrics and arithmetic language to break down inflation, corruption and survival. More than two decades later, Nigerians still sing and quote lines from it.

2001: 鈥淢y Car鈥� 鈥� Tony Tetuila

鈥淵ou don hit my car, oyinbo repete!鈥� Tony Tetuila gave the perfect Nigerian soundtrack for everyday Lagos traffic. Fresh off his split from The Remedies, Tony Tetuila reinvented himself with a dramatic anthem different from almost everything dominating Nigerian radio at the time. The song鈥檚 conversational storytelling, memorable hook and street appeal made it a national obsession. It was played everywhere, from beer parlours to buses, and instantly transformed Tetuila from 鈥渇ormer group member鈥� into a solo star.

2002: 鈥淢r Lecturer鈥� 鈥� Eedris Abdulkareem

鈥淢r Lecturer鈥� became one of the most talked-about Nigerian songs of the early 2000s because it confronted sexual harassment in universities head-on. Eedris Abdulkareem approached the subject with the rawness and aggression that characterised much of his music, and Nigerians couldn鈥檛 stop talking about it. It cemented Eedris as one of the country鈥檚 loudest cultural voices.

2003: 鈥淒anfo Driver鈥� 鈥� Danfo Drivers (Mad Melon & Mountain Black)

Were you even alive in Nigeria in 2003 if you didn鈥檛 do the Suo dance to this banger? Mad Melon and Mountain Black took the gritty, everyday reality of Lagos bus conductors and the humour of danfo culture and turned it into a national hit. It was so huge it even crossed over, and three years after release, it made the soundtrack of a Hollywood movie, Phat Girlz (2006).

2004: 鈥淎frican Queen鈥� 鈥� 2Baba (FKA 2Face Idibia)

Released as part of 2Baba鈥檚 debut solo album Face 2 Face, the song became a continental hit thanks to its smooth songwriting and timeless romantic appeal. It helped Nigerian music gain international visibility at a time when global attention on it was still limited. More importantly, it established 2Baba as one of the defining stars of modern African pop music.

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2005: 鈥淏izzy Body鈥� 鈥� P-Square

By 2005, P-Square had figured out the formula for domination: infectious hooks, polished choreography and music videos Nigerians couldn鈥檛 stop replaying. 鈥淏izzy Body鈥� became one of the duo鈥檚 biggest breakthrough hits because it fused R&B melodies to fit the Nigerian party setting. The song took over clubs, weddings and TV countdown shows, while helping establish the pop-star model that many Afrobeats acts would later follow.

2006: 鈥淚joya鈥� 鈥� Weird MC

Produced by Don Jazzy and JJC Skillz, 鈥淚joya鈥� was a cultural shift. Weird MC fused hip-hop, Yor霉b谩 folk influences and Fuji-inspired delivery into a record that completely exploded across the country. The song鈥檚 call-and-response hook made it impossible to avoid at parties. At a time when female rappers faced even tougher industry barriers, Weird MC delivered one of the biggest songs in the country with an iconic animated music video and forced everybody to pay attention.

2007: 鈥淵ahooze鈥� 鈥� Olu Maintain

Love it or hate it, 鈥淵ahooze鈥� completely owned 2007. It was the year of the two-finger salute. Olu Maintain created a flamboyant club anthem inspired by the flashy lifestyle associated with internet fraud culture, and Nigerians ran with it instantly. The dance became a nationwide craze, and celebrities publicly embraced it, including Colin Powell, the former US Secretary of State.

2008: 鈥淕ongo Aso鈥� 鈥� 9ice

鈥淕ongo Aso鈥� was both the title of his second album and its defining track. 9ice blends Yoruba proverbs, Fuji influences and street-hop swag into the song while keeping it fresh and modern. From the Alapomeji intro to the boastful chorus, this song was  a big hit at every party, street carnival, club and local award show that year. It also helped push indigenous-language pop music further into the mainstream, as Nigerian pop was rapidly evolving.

2009: 鈥淏umper 2 Bumper鈥� 鈥� Wande Coal

Wande Coal鈥檚 Mushin 2 Mo鈥橦its is arguably one of the greatest Nigerian albums of all time, and 鈥淏umper 2 Bumper鈥� was the crown jewel. It was released during his incredible run under Mo鈥橦its Records and it became one of the biggest club records in the country. It also reinforced Wande Coal鈥檚 reputation as one of the most naturally gifted hitmakers of his generation.

2010: 鈥淥leku鈥� 鈥� Ice Prince

Produced by Jesse Jagz, the song mixes rap, melody and sleek contemporary production together to make the flyest Nigerian song of that year. A rap song having this much mainstream pop dominance was rare, but Ice Prince and Brymo pulled it off effortlessly. Brymo鈥檚 legendary hook, combined with Ice Prince鈥檚 cool-kid verses, made this the most remixed and covered song of 2010. You couldn鈥檛 escape it even if you tried.

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