The record was achieved at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, where 51,000 viewers watched the movie from the beginning to the end of the screening.
By Sam Ovie
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Published on September 27, 2026
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2 min read
Nollywood movie Black Market attracts 51,000 qualifying viewers at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, to claim the record for the largest audience at a single film screening.
The record was achieved at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, where 51,000 viewers watched the movie from the beginning to the end of the screening.
The feat surpassed the previous record of 43,624 viewers, set in 2015 during a screening of the Filipino film Felix Manalo at the Philippine Arena.
The Lagos event drew thousands of movie lovers, with the venue filled several hours before the main screening began.
Organisers had targeted at least 50,000 simultaneous viewers as part of the record attempt.
The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, was among the dignitaries who attended the event, alongside personalities from the entertainment industry and government.
While the overall crowd was larger, Guinness World Records recognised 51,000 viewers as the qualifying figure, based on those who met the conditions for the record by remaining through the screening.
The announcement was greeted with cheers and celebrations at the venue, marking a significant moment for the filmmakers and the Nigerian film industry.
Directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay, Black Market follows five women caught up in a cross-border smuggling operation whose lives are disrupted after the kidnapping of one of their daughters.
The record-breaking screening now adds a global distinction to a Nigerian film, turning an evening at Tafawa Balewa Square into a landmark event for Nollywood.
