Nollywood has celebrated a major global milestone after Black Market attracted more than 51,000 moviegoers in Lagos. The crime thriller set a Guinness World Record for the largest attendance at a film screening in a single location. The historic screening took place at Tafawa Balewa Square ( TBS) on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
The achievement surpassed the previous record of 43,624 viewers.That record was set by the Filipino film Felix Manalo at the Philippine Arena in 2015.
Thousands of Movie Enthusiasts Gather at Tafawa Balewa Square
It was a carnival-like movement as Nigerian movie enthusiasts started strolling in at Tafawa Balewa Square from around 2pm for a 7pm movie. This created long queues around the venue before the screening time. The main screening started at about 7pm as thousands settled in to watch the highly anticipated film. 
The organisers had projected a-50,000 simultaneous viewers. However, Guinness World Records confirmed that more than 51,000 people qualified for the record. The figure counted viewers who watched the film from beginning to end.
The announcement sparked loud cheers, celebrations and fireworks across the venue. Watch the moment of the record-breaking announcement by Guinness World Records below:
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How Movie Enthusiasts Celebrated Black Market’s Guinness World Records
Celebrating the achievement, FilmOne Entertainment thanks Nigerians for the great feat.
“We’re officially Amazing!!!! 51,000+ people. One screen. One moment that just made history. We’ve officially set a WORLD RECORD for the Largest Audience Gathering Ever for a Movie Screening. 51,000+ people came together for the love of film, and what started as a screening became a moment the world will remember. Nigeria, we didn’t just watch a movie.”
Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat and Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture Toke Benson attended the event. He wrote about the record break movie premiere:
“I was at Tafawa Balewa Square this evening for the screening of Black Market, an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the largest audience at a film screening.”
“It was inspiring to see Nigerians come together around creativity and a bold idea. When Lagosians unite around a common goal, extraordinary things can happen. The energy at TBS tonight showed that our creative economy is one of our greatest assets and we must continue working together to take it even further.”
Several Nollywood stars also joined the celebration. Lateef Adedimeji who played the lead role in the movie was jubilant at the end of the premiere. He wrote:
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In another tweet he shared his excitement of the great feat as he was hailed as a ‘record breaking actor’ by the producer of the film:
Nollywood actress Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman boastfully wrote about her featuring in the move. She also used the opportunity to advertise her craft to other producers while celebrating Black Market‘s success at the premiere and her career in 2026.
Inside the Record-Breaking Crime Thriller
Black Market follows five women involved in a dangerous cross-border smuggling operation. Their lives change dramatically after a rival gang becomes involved. The situation becomes even more dangerous following the kidnapping of one woman’s daughter.
Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman plays Zimuzo, while Scarlet Gomez portrays Aramide. Omowunmi Dada stars as Adesua in the crime thriller. The cast also includes Lateef Adedimeji, Susan Pwajok, Teniola Aladese, Uzor Arukwe, Folagade Banks, Taiye Arimoro, Ibrahim Yekini (Itele) and others.
Film Heads for Nationwide Release
Fatimah Binta Gimsay directed Black Market in her feature directorial debut. She also co-wrote the screenplay with Abdul Tijani-Ahmed. Nora Awolowo produced the film through Rixel Studios. FilmOne Studios, Signet Ring Studios and Switch Visuals Production also collaborated on the project.
Following its record-breaking Lagos screening, Black Market is preparing for nationwide theatrical release. The achievement adds another major milestone to Nollywood’s growing international profile.
For the filmmakers and thousands of viewers, the night became more than a movie premiere. It became a celebration of Nigerian cinema on a remarkable global stage.
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