Nigerian Film 'Black Market' Makes Global History, Shatters Guinness Record at Lagos Screening!

Nora Awolowo's Nollywood crime thriller, Black Market, has officially secured a Guinness World Record for the largest attendance at a film screening. The historic event took place on Saturday at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in Lagos, Nigeria, drawing thousands of movie enthusiasts.

Guinness World Records confirmed an astounding 51,000 qualifying attendees who remained present from the beginning to the end of the movie. While Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat initially announced 64,000 attendees, the official record was based strictly on those who watched the entire film. The confirmation of this record sparked widespread celebrations, cheers, and fireworks among the assembled crowd.

Organizers had aimed to gather 50,000 simultaneous viewers to surpass the previous record of 43,624 people, which was set in 2015 by the Filipino film Felix Manalo at the Philippine Arena. The Black Market screening successfully exceeded this benchmark, marking a new milestone in cinematic history.

The event itself was a grand affair, attracting a massive crowd that formed long queues around TBS earlier in the day. Gates opened at 2 PM, followed by a red carpet segment at approximately 3 PM, leading up to the main screening at 7 PM. Beyond the film, attendees enjoyed various entertainment activities, including music, food, and games.

Distinguished guests present at the screening included Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture Toke Benson, and a host of prominent Nollywood stars such as Lateef Adedimeji, Kunle Remi, Stan Nze, Linda Ejiofor, Gabriel Afolayan, and Kunle Afolayan.

Directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay and co-written by Gimsay and Abdul Tijani Ahmed, Black Market is a gripping crime thriller. Its plot centers around five women embroiled in a cross-border smuggling operation, whose lives are plunged into chaos following the kidnapping of one of their daughters. The film features a notable cast including Linda Ejiofor Suleiman, Lateef Adedimeji, Omowunmi Dada, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok, Itele D Icon, and Uzor Arukwe.

The record-breaking screening was a collaborative effort, organized by Rixel Studios in partnership with FilmOne Studios, Signet Ring Studios, and Switch Visuals Production. This meticulous planning ensured the event served as an official Guinness World Records attempt to overcome the 43,624 attendance record previously held by Felix Manalo in 2015.