#The scale of the gathering was central to the occasion. The organisers had aimed to bring 50,000 people together to watch one film at one location, surpassing the previous record of 43,624 set by the Philippine film Felix Manalo in 2015. According to Channels Television, Guinness counted 51,000 qualifying viewers who stayed for the entire film.
The record attempt brought together the film’s production team and the people behind the large-scale premiere. Rixel Studios collaborated with FilmOne Studios and Signet Ring Studios, while Switch Visuals Production, led by Damilola Osikoya, worked on the screening event. The result was a night that placed Nollywood’s ability to assemble and engage an audience in the spotlight.
Directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay and produced by Nora Awolowo, Black Market follows five women caught up in a cross-border smuggling operation that becomes more dangerous when one woman’s daughter is kidnapped. Its cast includes Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Lateef Adedimeji, Omowunmi Dada, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok and Uzor Arukwe.
This achievement belongs to more than one film. It reflects the work of filmmakers, event organisers and partners who turned a premiere into a gathering on an unprecedented scale—and the thousands of viewers who stayed to watch. Guinness’s public record page had not yet been updated on Sunday, but the record was announced at the Lagos screening.
Black Market is scheduled to open in cinemas across Nigeria on Friday, 2 October 2026, through FilmOne Distribution.
- Jimi D Baldheaded Guy