Nollywood has officially entered the Guinness World Records books as Black Market set a new record for the largest audience to watch a film simultaneously at a screening.
The record-breaking screening took place on Saturday in Lagos, where thousands of movie lovers gathered for the highly anticipated premiere of the crime thriller.
Guinness World Records confirmed that 51,000 viewers qualified for the record after watching the film from the beginning to the end. The announcement sparked celebrations among the crowd, with loud cheers and fireworks marking the achievement.
The figure surpasses the previous record of 43,624 viewers, set in 2015 during a screening of the Filipino film Felix Manalo at the Philippine Arena.
Organisers of the Black Market screening had targeted 50,000 simultaneous viewers, meaning the event exceeded its target by 1,000 qualifying attendees.
While Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat announced that approximately 64,000 people attended the event, Guinness World Records used a different measurement for the official record. According to the record certification, only viewers who remained from the beginning to the end of the movie were counted towards the qualifying attendance.
The achievement marks a major moment for the Nigerian film industry and comes as Black Market brings together a large ensemble cast for a story rooted in crime, economic hardship and survival.
Directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay, who also co-wrote the film with Abdul Tijani-Ahmed, Black Market follows five market women caught up in a cross-border smuggling operation amid fuel scarcity and economic pressure.
Their already dangerous situation takes a darker turn when the daughter of one of the women is kidnapped, throwing their lives into turmoil and pushing the story into a tense crime thriller.
The film features Omowunmi Dada, Lateef Adedimeji, Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok, Ibrahim Yekini, also known as Itele D Icon, and Uzor Arukwe, among others.
The record-breaking screening was organised by Rixel Studios in collaboration with FilmOne Studios, Signet Ring Studios and Switch Visuals Production.
With 51,000 viewers officially recognised by Guinness World Records, Black Market has now turned its ambitious Lagos premiere into a record-setting moment for Nollywood.
