Massive Crowds Converge on TBS for Black Market Guinness World Record Attempt
LAGOS — Thousands of movie enthusiasts and cultural tourists have flooded the historic Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) on Lagos Island on Saturday, September 26, 2026, as Nollywood targets a spot in the Guinness World Records for the largest single-venue film screening attendance.
The ambitious community event—organized by Rixel Studios in partnership with FilmOne Studios and Signet Ring Studios—centers around the world premiere screening of the crime thriller Black Market. Organizers aim to gather an audience of 50,000 attendees to eclipse the current 11-year-old world record of 43,624 people set during the 2015 premiere of Felix Manalo at the Philippine Arena.
Crowds began queueing along the perimeter of the iconic square hours before gates officially opened at 2:00 PM, with security personnel and traffic officers managing heavy vehicular and pedestrian movement along the Onikan and Lagos Island corridors. Supported by the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the event transformed TBS into a massive open-air cultural arena complete with red-carpet setups, fan zones, and verification turnstiles managed by record adjudicators.
Directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay and produced by Nora Awolowo, Black Market follows five market women who operate a cross-border fuel smuggling ring amidst economic pressures and fuel scarcity. Their disciplined operation turns chaotic when a rival gang kidnaps the daughter of one of the women, setting off a high-stakes struggle for survival.
The film features a star-studded cast including Lateef Adedimeji, Omowunmi Dada, Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Scarlet Gomez, Ibrahim Yekini (Itele D Icon), Uzor Arukwe, Susan Pwajok, and Teniola Aladese.
Following tonight’s landmark public screening, Black Market is slated for a nationwide theatrical release across cinemas on October 2, 2026. Official verification results from Guinness World Record adjudicators are expected following the conclusion of tonight’s screening.
