Nollywood has given us stories that make us laugh, cry, and reflect on who we are. News Round The Clock(NRTC) is taking a step back to reminisce on the hits that shaped the past and the blockbusters redefining the present.
It’s a journey down memory lane, where old favorites meet new classics, reminding us why Nollywood remains the beating heart of African cinema. Here are our top 21 films that shaped the Nigerian movie industry.
- The Wedding Party (2016)
Directed by Kemi Adetiba, starring Adesua Etomi, Banky W, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sola Sobowale, Ireti Doyle, Alibaba, Beverly Naya, and Enyinna Nwigwe. This romantic comedy follows Dunni and Dozie’s lavish Lagos wedding, where family drama, chaos, and hilarious mishaps threaten to derail their big day.
2. Lionheart (2018)
Directed by Genevieve Nnaji, starring Genevieve Nnaji, Pete Edochie, Nkem Owoh, Onyeka Onwenu, Kanayo O. Kanayo, and Phyno. The film tells the story of Adaeze, who must save her father’s struggling bus company by working with her eccentric uncle, blending comedy with themes of gender and leadership.
3. Living in Bondage (1992/93)
Directed by Chris Obi Rapu, starring Kenneth Okonkwo, Nnenna Nwabueze, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Bob-Manuel Udokwu, and Rita Nzelu. This thriller follows Andy, who joins a secret cult for wealth but faces tragic consequences. It is considered Nollywood’s first blockbuster.
4. King of Boys (2018)
Directed by Kemi Adetiba, starring Sola Sobowale, Adesua Etomi, Reminisce, Toni Tones, Illbliss, and Jide Kosoko. A political crime thriller about Eniola Salami, a powerful businesswoman whose political ambitions drag her into violent underworld struggles.
5. The Figurine (2009)
Directed by Kunle Afolayan, starring Ramsey Nouah, Omoni Oboli, Kunle Afolayan, and Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi. Two friends discover a mystical figurine that promises seven years of good luck, only to face dire consequences afterward.
6. Isoken (2017)
Directed by Jadesola Osiberu, starring Dakore Akande, Joseph Benjamin, Marc Rhys, Funke Akindele, Lydia Forson, and Jemima Osunde. A romantic comedy about a 34-year-old woman pressured to marry a Nigerian man, but who falls for a Caucasian, challenging cultural expectations12.
7. October 1 (2014)
Directed by Kunle Afolayan, starring Sadiq Daba, Kayode Olaiya, and Demola Adedoyin. Set in 1960, just before Nigeria’s independence, a northern police officer investigates serial killings of young women in a remote village14.
8. Osuofia in London (2003)
Directed by Kingsley Ogoro, starring Nkem Owoh and Mara Derwent. A comedy about Osuofia, a naïve villager who inherits property in London and faces cultural clashes and scheming relatives16.
9. Phone Swap (2012)
Directed by Kunle Afolayan, starring Nse Ikpe-Etim, Wale Ojo, Joke Silva, Lydia Forson, and Hafeez Oyetoro. A comedy-drama where two strangers accidentally swap phones at an airport, leading them into each other’s lives.
10. A Tribe Called Judah (2023)
Directed by Funke Akindele and Adeoluwa Owu, starring Funke Akindele, Timini Egbuson, Jide Kene Achufusi, Uzee Usman, Tobi Makinde, and Olumide Oworu. A family of boys plans a mall robbery with their mother, only to encounter armed robbers already there.
11. Battle on Buka Street (2022)
Directed by Funke Akindele and Tobi Makinde, starring Funke Akindele, Mercy Johnson, Sola Sobowale, Tina Mba, and Nkem Owoh. A comedy-drama about two rival women competing in a food contest to be crowned “King of Buka Street”.
12. Igodo (1999)
Directed by Andy Amenechi, starring Sam Dede, Pete Edochie, Charles Okafor, and Norbert Young. An adventure epic about warriors sent to the evil forest to retrieve a mystical sword to save their village.
13. Chief Daddy (2018)
Directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, starring Funke Akindele, Kate Henshaw, Joke Silva, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Nkem Owoh, and Patience Ozokwor. A comedy about the chaotic family of billionaire Chief Beecroft after his sudden death.
14. Gangs of Lagos (2023)
Directed by Jade Osiberu, starring Tobi Bakre, Adesua Etomi, Chike, Iyabo Ojo, Bimbo Ademoye, and Zlatan. A crime thriller about three friends growing up in Lagos gangs, caught in political violence.
15. 93 Days (2016)
Directed by Steve Gukas, starring Bimbo Akintola, Danny Glover, Somkele Iyamah, and Charles Okafor. A drama based on Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola outbreak and the heroic doctors who contained it.
16. Alakada: Bad and Boujee (2024)
Directed by Adebayo Tijani, starring Toyin Abraham, Odunlade Adekola, Bimbo Ademoye, Ini Edo, and Ronke Odusanya. A comedy-drama about Yetunde, a woman from humble origins who pretends to be elite, leading to chaos.
17. Brotherhood (2022)
Directed by Loukman Ali, starring Falz, Tobi Bakre, Basketmouth, Sam Dede, and Toni Tones. Twin brothers orphaned young fall on opposite sides of the law, one a cop, the other a robber.
18. Half of a Yellow Sun (2013)
Directed by Biyi Bandele, starring Thandiwe Newton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anika Noni Rose, Genevieve Nnaji, and Onyeka Onwenu. Based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel, it follows sisters Olanna and Kainene during the Nigerian Civil War.
19. Glamour Girls (1994 & 2022)
The original (1994) was directed by Chika Onukwufor, starring Liz Benson, Ngozi Ezeonu, Eucharia Anunobi, and Zack Orji, about women navigating Lagos through escorting. The 2022 remake was directed by Bunmi Ajakaiye, starring Nse Ikpe-Etim, Sharon Ooja, Joselyn Dumas, and Toke Makinwa, reimagining the glamorous but dangerous world of high-end escorts.
20. Rattlesnake (1995)
Directed by Amaka Igwe, starring Francis Duru, Nkem Owoh, Anne Njemanze, and Ernest Obi. It tells the story of Ahanna, who loses his father and turns to crime, becoming a legendary anti-hero.
21. Queen Lateefah (2024)
Directed by Adeoluwa Owu, starring Wumi Toriola, Kunle Remi, Femi Adebayo, and Lateef Adedimeji. A drama about Lateefah Adeleke, a businesswoman living a lavish lifestyle while hiding secrets.
From cult classics like Living in Bondage to modern blockbusters like A Tribe Called Judah, Nollywood has carved its place as Africa’s cinematic powerhouse. These films, spanning romantic comedies, political thrillers, epic adventures, and historical dramas, tell the story of Nigeria’s evolving film industry and its global rise. Whether it’s the laughter of Osuofia in London, the suspense of The Figurine, or the cultural depth of Half of a Yellow Sun, each title reflects the creativity, resilience, and bold storytelling that define Nollywood today. Together, they form a dazzling lineup of 20 unforgettable movies that showcase the industry’s past, present, and future. Which or how many of these have you seen?
