Nollywood’s Black Market Premiere Draws 51,000+ at Tafawa Balewa Square, Claims Guinness Record

The premiere of Nollywood's crime thriller Black Market set a Guinness World Record after more than 51,000 people attended a single screening at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos. Organisers had targeted 50,000 attendees to beat the previous record of 43,624 set in the Philippines in 2015.

The film's premiere drew a crowd large enough to secure official recognition for the largest attendance at a film screening. The screening took place at Tafawa Balewa Square on a Saturday, where the assembled audience exceeded the event's goal and the prior global benchmark.

Black Market was directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay. Production credits go to Damilola Osikoya of Switch Visuals Productions and Nora Awolowo of Rixel Studios. The screenplay was written by Fatimah Binta Gimsay alongside Abdul Tijani-Ahmed.

The film's cast includes established Nollywood performers: Lateef Adedimeji, Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Omowunmi Dada, Scarlet Gomez and Teniola Aladese.

Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Obafemi Hamzat spoke at the event, commending the organisers and the young creatives behind the project. He framed the achievement as evidence of Nigeria's abundant creative talent and emphasised the need for platforms that allow that talent to be showcased. Hamzat expressed appreciation for public and private support of the creative sector and said he was optimistic about Nollywood's continued growth.

Why the record mattered to organisers

Organisers set a concrete attendance target—50,000—to top the previous record. Achieving more than 51,000 attendees makes this one of the largest public cinema events recorded internationally and brings attention to large-scale, in-person exhibition as a promotional and cultural strategy for Nollywood releases.

The screening put Black Market at the centre of a high-profile launch event and generated public and media attention across Nigerian outlets and entertainment platforms. Local leaders used the occasion to make the case for stronger infrastructure and opportunities for creative professionals.

Expect follow-up coverage on the film's commercial release and box-office performance, broader festival or distribution plans, and any formal Guinness World Records confirmation details or documentation that may be published by organisers or the record authority.