Nollywood crime thriller ‘Black Market’ has set a Guinness World Record after 51,000 people watched the film at a single-location screening in Lagos.
Black Market, the Nollywood crime thriller, has entered the Guinness World Records (GWR) for the largest attendance at a film screening in a single location, with 51,000 people watching the movie in Lagos.
The film screening took place on Saturday evening, drawing thousands of movie lovers to Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) the historic venue where Nigeria’s independence was formally declared in 1960. Organisers deliberately leaned into that symbolism, framing the record attempt as a statement about what Nigerian storytelling could achieve on its own soil, rather than through the usual routes of Hollywood or streaming platforms.
Crowds began gathering as early as 2pm, with long queues forming around TBS throughout the day as attendees arrived for the event. The main screening got underway at about 7pm.
A Verified Record, Live on the Big Screen
A Guinness World Records official confirmed the qualifying figure on the big screen during the event itself, turning what was billed as a premiere into a verified world record the moment it was announced, with the announcement drawing loud cheers, celebrations and fireworks from the crowd.
This was after Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, who arrived at the venue at about 8:50pm, had put total attendance closer to 64,000. Guinness World Records, however, clarified that the qualifying figure of 51,000 was based specifically on viewers who remained from the beginning to the end of the movie.
Distributor FilmOne Entertainment celebrated the milestone in a post on X: “51,000+ people. One screen. We’ve officially set a WORLD RECORD for the Largest Audience Gathering Ever for a Movie Screening.”
Surpassing a Decade-Old Record
Organisers had targeted 50,000 simultaneous viewers, aiming to surpass the previous record of 43,624 people, achieved by Iglesia Ni Cristo for their film Felix Manalo at the Philippine Arena in Ciudad de Victoria, Philippines, on October 4, 2015.
Who Was There
The event was attended by Toke Benson, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, alongside Nollywood stars including Lateef Adedimeji, Kunle Remi, Stan Nze, Linda Ejiofor, Gabriel Afolayan, Kunle Afolayan, Real Warri Pikin and Tomi Ojo. The premiere also featured a red carpet appearance by lead actress Omowunmi Dada. The record-breaking screening was supported by the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, alongside corporate partners.
About the Film
The film was produced by Rixel Studios in collaboration with FilmOne Studios, Signet Ring Studios and Switch Visuals Production, with FilmOne handling distribution.
Directed by newcomer Fatimah Binta Gimsay and co-written by Gimsay and Abdul Tijani-Ahmed, Black Market follows five women involved in a cross-border smuggling operation whose lives are thrown into turmoil after the daughter of one of them is kidnapped. The cast includes Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Lateef Adedimeji, Omowunmi Dada, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok, Itele D Icon and Uzor Arukwe.
The film marks producer Nora Awolowo’s second major production with FilmOne and Signet Ring Studios, following 2025’s Red Circle, which made her the youngest producer in Nollywood history to cross ₦100 million at the box office.
Gimsay had disclosed in an interview with TheCable Lifestyle that breaking the world record was the goal she and her team set for themselves from the outset, saying the idea was to create something “more iconic”, a cultural statement for Lagos, Nigerian creatives and young Nigerians that would go beyond Nollywood itself.
The achievement makes the Black Market screening one of the largest single-location movie gatherings recorded globally, adding another international milestone to Nollywood’s growing profile.
