ABUJA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended warm congratulations to Nigerian filmmakers Damilola Osikoya and Nora Awolowo following their record-breaking feat after their film, Black Market, achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest attendance at a single film screening.
The historic achievement was recorded over the weekend at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in Onikan, Lagos, where over 51,000 spectators gathered for the official premiere of the movie—shattering previous global benchmarks for live film screening attendance.
In an official statement released on Monday, September 28, 2026, by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu commended Osikoya (of Switch Visuals Production) and Awolowo (of Rixel Studios) for pushing the creative boundaries of Nollywood onto the global stage.
“The achievement of Black Market shows what is possible when Nigerian creativity is matched with enterprise, collaboration, and scale,” President Tinubu stated. “Our young creatives continue to demonstrate that Nigeria’s storytellers, technical crews, and cultural pioneers stand second to none globally.”
The Record-Breaking Event
The movie premiere—jointly produced by Switch Visuals Productions and Rixel Studios in distribution partnership with FilmOne—drew thousands of film enthusiasts, industry stakeholders, and youth culture icons to the historic square.
Highlights of the historical accomplishment include:
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Official Record Verification: A Guinness World Records adjudicator officially verified the gathering, confirming that over 51,000 checked-in attendees watched the movie simultaneously on a massive single-screen setup.
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Star-Studded Cast: Directed by Nora Awolowo, Black Market features a ensemble cast including Lateef Adedimeji, Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Ibrahim Yekini, Scarlet Gomez, Omowunmi Dada, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok, and Uzor Arukwe.
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Support for the Creative Economy: President Tinubu reiterated his administration’s policy commitment under the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy to expand infrastructure, protect intellectual property, and unlock global financing opportunities for Nigerian filmmakers and digital creators.
President Tinubu commended the cast, crew, production associates, and thousands of Lagosians who turned out to support the event, describing the achievement as a collective victory for the Nigerian entertainment industry.
