Nollywood has recorded a major international milestone after the crime thriller Black Market attracted 51,000 qualifying viewers at a massive screening held at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos.
The screening, held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, was recognised as a Guinness World Record for the largest audience at a film screening in a single location.
51,000 Viewers Recognised
Thousands of movie lovers gathered at TBS for the highly anticipated screening, with large crowds arriving hours before the main event.
Organisers had targeted 50,000 viewers, hoping to surpass the previous record of 43,624 people, set in 2015 during a screening of the Filipino film Felix Manalo at the Philippine Arena.
Following the screening, a Guinness World Records official confirmed 51,000 as the qualifying attendance.
The figure is important because reports put the overall number of people who attended the event at approximately 64,000. However, Guinness counted viewers who remained at the screening from the beginning until the end of the movie.
How the Record-Breaking Event Unfolded
The gates opened at about 2pm, with a red-carpet session beginning around 3pm. Music, food and other entertainment activities were also part of the programme before the main screening.
Large queues were reported around Tafawa Balewa Square as movie lovers made their way into the venue.
The movie was eventually screened before the massive audience, with the announcement of the record greeted by cheers and celebrations at the venue.
What Is Black Market About?
Black Market is a Nigerian crime thriller centred on five women involved in a cross-border smuggling operation.
Their operation takes a dangerous turn after the daughter of one of the women is kidnapped, forcing the group to confront a more serious threat.
The film was directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay, who co-wrote the screenplay with Abdul Tijani-Ahmed.
The cast includes Omowunmi Dada, Lateef Adedimeji, Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok, Ibrahim Yekini (Itele D Icon) and Uzor Arukwe, among others.
FilmOne Celebrates the Achievement
FilmOne, the film’s distributor, confirmed the record through its social media platforms, describing the gathering as a historic moment for Nigerian cinema.
The production involved Rixel Studios, Signet Ring Studios and FilmOne Studios, while Switch Visuals Production worked on the large-scale screening event.
A Major Moment for Nollywood
The record-breaking screening puts attention on the ability of Nigeria’s film industry to organise large-scale theatrical events while attracting tens of thousands of viewers to a single location.
It also adds another international milestone to Nollywood’s growing presence in global entertainment.
For the thousands who gathered at Tafawa Balewa Square, the September 26 screening became more than a movie premiere—it became part of a Guinness World Records achievement.
Sources:
Channel Television
The Guardian Nigeria
TheCable
PUNCH Newspapers
Vanguard