Nollywood’s ‘Black Market’ makes Guinness World Records history with 51,000 viewers

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Nollywood has set a new Guinness World Record for the largest audience gathering for a movie screening, after more than 51,000 people gathered at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos, to watch the crime thriller Black Market.

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The feat was confirmed by a Guinness World Records official during the screening on Saturday night, after more than 51,000 people were recorded as having attended the event.

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FilmOne, the film’s distributor, also confirmed the achievement in a statement shared on its social media platforms.

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“51,000+ people. One screen. One moment that just made history,” FilmOne said.

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“We’ve officially set a WORLD RECORD for the Largest Audience Gathering Ever for a Movie Screening.”

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The distributor added, “Nigeria, we didn’t just watch a movie. WE MADE HISTORY.”

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TBS was packed with movie lovers who arrived in large numbers ahead of the screening, with hundreds of attendees trooping into the venue several hours before the event.

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The screening had been organised as an attempt to set a Guinness World Record, with organisers targeting an audience of 50,000 people at a single location.

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The gates opened at 2pm, followed by a red-carpet session at about 3pm, while the main screening was scheduled to take place between 7pm and 8:30pm.

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Long queues stretched towards the TBS roundabout as movie lovers made their way into the venue.

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The event also featured music, food and games, while celebrities and other personalities were spotted at the venue.

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Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, arrived at the venue at about 8:50pm.

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Among the celebrities spotted at the event were Gabriel Afolayan, Real Warri Pikin and Tomi Ojo.

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Black Market was produced by Rixel Studios, Signet Ring Studios and FilmOne Studios, and distributed by FilmOne.

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The film was directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay and produced by Nora Awolowo.

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It stars Omowunmi Dada, Lateef Adedimeji, Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok, Ibrahim

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Yekini, popularly known as Itele D Icon, and Uzor Arukwe, among others.

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The crime thriller follows five market women involved in a cross-border smuggling operation amid fuel scarcity and economic pressure.

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The story takes a dramatic turn after the daughter of one of the women is kidnapped, throwing the women’s lives into turmoil.

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The record-breaking screening was supported by the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, alongside several corporate partners.

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