Udu Alakpa on What It Really Takes to Do Makeup on Film Sets
To the uninitiated, film sets are controlled, polished environments where visual details fall neatly into place. Award-winning makeup artist Udu Alakpa says the reality is far messier. Long hours, unpredictable weather, shifting schedules, and last-minute changes mean that every department is constantly adapting just to keep production moving. Makeup and hair, often mistaken for finishing […]
Joy Odiete and Trevor Logan Pillay Launch Blue Pictures South Africa Distribution Company
Blue Pictures CEO Joy Odiete has announced the launch of Blue Pictures South Africa, a Pan-African motion picture distribution company that expands the long-term industry strategy of SIRA – The African Hub. The South African expansion is being led by Odiete in partnership with Trevor Logan Pillay, director of Adonai Holdings, who joins the venture […]
Niyi Akinmolayan’s ‘The Forest of Talking Drums’ Opens to Sold-Out First Day in Lagos
‘The Forest of Talking Drums’, the first immersive live experience from Niyi Akinmolayan, opened to a sold-out first day in Lagos this week and it’s quickly becoming one of the city’s most talked-about live theatre productions. The response points to a growing appetite for immersive performance experiences that push beyond conventional stage boundaries. The interactive […]
Nile Cinemas Expands Footprint With VIVA Cinemas Across Four Nigerian Cities
Nile Cinemas has taken a major step in its rapid expansion across Nigeria with the integration of VIVA Cinemas into its growing cinema network, adding new locations in Ikeja, Ibadan, Ilorin, and Enugu. The move unites two familiar cinema brands and brings Nile Cinemas’ total number of locations to eight, including its exclusive luxury cinema […]
“She’s Not Ordinary”: Tunde Olaoye on Funke Akindele’s Genius in ‘Behind the Scenes’
For Tunde Olaoye, co-directing ‘Behind the Scenes’ alongside Funke Akindele is less about a single film and more about a creative partnership years in the making. From the early days of Jennifer’s Diary to Akindele’s box-office-dominating cinema run, Olaoye has witnessed firsthand the evolution of one of Nollywood’s most influential storytellers and insists her rise […]
Todimu Adegoke Selected for Berlinale’s EFM Toolbox Programme 2026
Film producer Todimu Adegoke has been selected for the EFM Toolbox Programme 2026, an international development initiative of the European Film Market (EFM), held alongside the Berlin International Film Festival. The selection, announced by EFM, places Adegoke among a global cohort of producers chosen for the programme, which supports under-represented voices through mentorship, workshops, matchmaking […]
Funke Akindele’s ‘Behind the Scenes’ Opens to ₦200.8M: Biggest Debut of 2025
Funke Akindele has once again reaffirmed her status as Nigeria’s Queen of the Box Office, as her latest film, ‘Behind the Scenes’, opened to a staggering ₦200,875,791 at the Nigerian box office, marking the biggest opening weekend of 2025 so far. The film recorded 34,548 admissions nationwide during its opening weekend and broke five opening-weekend […]
‘Behind the Scenes’: The Cast on Staying Grounded When the Cameras Stop
Funke Akindele returns to the big screen with ‘Behind The Scenes’, a drama that explores the cost of generosity. Produced by Akindele and directed by Tunde Olaoye and Akindele herself, the film follows Deronke “Ronky-Fella” Faniran—a successful real-estate mogul and mother of two whose love and kindness have become her signature. But as people around […]
Martha Ehinome Bets on Herself; Produces and Funds ‘Man of Her Dreams’
Martha Ehinome, known for her breakout role as Tumi in the Showmax series ‘Wura’, has completed production on her first film as a producer and financier, ‘Man of Her Dreams’. The project marks the debut outing of her newly registered production company, ME & Co., with Ehinome funding and serving as executive producer on the […]
Judith Audu, Temidayo Makanjuola, Ishaya Bako, Adeniyi J. Omobulejo and Stephanie Dadet to Pitch New TV Projects at the 2025 Red Sea Film Festival
Five filmmakers, Judith Audu, Temidayo Makanjuola, Ishaya Bako, Adeniyi J. Omobulejo, and Stephanie Dadet, are headed to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to pitch their latest television projects at the 2025 Red Sea International Film Festival, one of the fastest-growing global platforms for TV development and international co-production. The creators’ projects were developed under the ACTV Story […]
‘3 Cold Dishes’ Now Streaming in North America on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video
The pan-African Nollywood thriller ‘3 Cold Dishes’, executive produced by Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy, is now available for streaming in North America on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video. The film, which originally premiered in cinemas on November 7, 2025 follows the harrowing and empowering journey of three women, Esosa, Fatouma, and Giselle, who were trafficked as […]
Uzor Arukwe Isn’t an Overnight Success: Nollywood Is Just Catching Up
Uzor Arukwe is having the kind of year that makes people assume he just arrived. His turn as Odogwu in ‘Love in Every Word’ didn’t just get attention; it blew up, captivating audiences so intensely that a sequel became unavoidable. Now, anticipation is building again for ‘Colours of Fire’, yet to be released, while his […]
Taye Arimoro vs Nollywood Guilds: The Full Timeline
The ongoing conflict involving actor Taye Arimoro, producer Peggy Ovire, and three of Nollywood’s most influential guilds has become one of the industry’s most polarising disputes in recent years. What began as a routine filming day on the set of ‘Pieces of Love’ exploded into a public crisis after Arimoro went on social media in […]
Toluwani Obayan Osibe Explores Identity and Belonging in ‘Colour Me True’
In ‘Colour Me True’, writer–director Toluwani Obayan Osibe turns her attention to a question that has lingered across much of her life: what does it mean to come home? Not the sentimental or nostalgic idea of home, but the version that is tied to identity, memory, survival, and the places we return to when the […]
Entertainment Week Africa 2025 Puts Film in the Spotlight
The inaugural Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) positioned Lagos as a rising global hub for creative-economy innovation, with its dynamic film and screen programme leading the debut edition. Spread across multi-venue hubs including Livespot Entertarium, Eko Hotel, EbonyLife Place, and Alliance Française, the festival delivered a robust platform for cinematic storytelling, premieres, and industry growth. A […]
‘Colour Me True’: First Features’ 10th Project Hits Prime Video on December 4
What happens when the life you’ve built no longer reflects who you truly are? That question anchors ‘Colour Me True’, the latest feature from Native Filmworks and MichelAngelo Productions, premiering on Prime Video on December 4, 2024. The official trailer drops today, offering a first glimpse into a story about identity, truth, and the cost […]
Entertainment Week Africa 2025 Deal Room Fuels Mature Tech Investment
The inaugural Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) closed its four-day Deal Room programme (November 19–22) on a high note, firmly establishing the platform as a key driver of investment within Africa’s creative and tech ecosystems. Anchored on the theme “Closing the Gap”, the Deal Room convened high-growth African startups, investors, and expert mentors—producing tangible, investment-ready outcomes […]
FilmOne Entertainment Addresses Copyright Infringement of ‘Owambe Thieves’
FilmOne Entertainment has taken decisive action against copyright infringement following the illegal upload of parts of its comedy film ‘Owambe Thieves’ on TikTok. The film was unlawfully shared by an account operating under the alias “Naijaprey TV”, which was also found selling access to a full high-resolution pirated copy of the movie—complete with his watermark—for […]
‘Son of the Soil’ is Razaaq Adoti’s Homecoming
Razaaq Adoti carries the spirit of Omonile—“son of the soil”—with an ease that feels inherited, lived-in, almost ancestral. Long before he stepped into the boots of Zion, the conflicted ex-commando at the heart of Son of the Soil, Adoti was already shaped by the idea of home and belonging. His father, a proud Nigerian raising […]
‘Son of the Soil’ Chee Keong Cheung Believes Nigeria is Fertile Ground for International Cinema
British-Chinese filmmaker Chee Keong Cheung—affectionately called Director Chi on set—arrived in Lagos to make ‘Son of the Soil’ with an outsider’s curiosity and a storyteller’s instinct. The action thriller, written by Cheung and lead actor Razaaq Adoti, follows a haunted ex-commando pulled back into violence when his sister’s death entangles him in a murderous drug […]
‘3 Cold Dishes’ Sparks Conversation on Human Trafficking in Africa
At the heart of ‘3 Cold Dishes’ is a story that refuses to reduce women to their bodies, standing instead for the value, strength and agency every woman carries. The Pan-African thriller tells the story of three women: Esosa (Nigeria), Fatouma (Côte d’Ivoire), and Giselle (Benin), who were trafficked as teenagers and forced into a […]
‘Grandpa Must Obey’ Proves Why Nollywood Needs More Family Films
‘Grandpa Must Obey’ is Nollywood’s newest reminder that some of the most powerful stories begin at home. Directed by Chibuzor Afurobi, it steps into the often-overlooked territory of family-focused storytelling. Romantic comedies, thrillers, prestige dramas, and action titles dominate the mainstream, leaving parents with limited local options they can enjoy with their children. ‘Grandpa Must […]
SyncAll Launches Metadata-Driven Platform to Streamline Music Licensing Across Africa
SyncAll, a new player has entered Africa’s music-tech ecosystem, aiming to address one of the continent’s most persistent creative-industry gaps: structured, transparent, and reliable music licensing. SyncAll, launched on October 28, 2025, introduces an end-to-end licensing and metadata system designed to help African creators better document their work and negotiate directly with buyers in film, […]
Filmmakers Mart x RollPay Host Nigerian Through My Lens Screening
At the Filmmakers Mart x RollPay screening for Nigeria Through My Lens, emerging storytellers gathered in Lagos to present short films that captured the pulse of everyday Nigerian life—political violence (‘Black Sands’ by Doowuese Akaahar), housing struggles (‘Service Charge’ by Tomi Folowosele), war (‘Shifting Sands’ by Melvin Sunday) and an enduring hope for change. The […]
Esse Akwawa Directs WEBEK Studios’ Debut Feature ‘Abeni’, with Ibrahim Chatta as Co-Executive Producer
WEBEK Studios has completed the principal photography for its first feature-length film, ‘Abeni’, directed by the studio’s CEO, Esse Akwawa, with Samuel Olasehinde as co-director and co-writer. ‘Abeni’ draws from an oral historical account that has not been formally documented. The story follows a young woman, Abeni, who attempts to enter the traditionally male craft […]
Iwé Àlà: Come On Naija’s Next Feature Brings the Ojúde Ọba Festival to the Big Screen
Following the breakout success of the award-winning film, ‘Afamefuna: An Nwaboi Story’, Come On Naija has unveiled its next major feature: ‘Iwé Àlà’ (The Book of Dreams). a drama that draws its narrative power from the rich pageantry of the Ojúde Ọba Festival. The announcement was made by executive producer Olawumi Fajemirokun during a special […]
Where Has Somkele Idhalama Been?
Even if her name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, Somkele Idhalama’s presence in Nollywood history is sealed by one unforgettable moment: the stinging, perfectly timed slap she delivered to Beverly Naya’s character in ‘The Wedding Party’. It became one of the most replayed scenes of the 2010s, a shorthand for the version of Idhalama’s audiences […]
James Omokwe’s ‘Osamede’ Sets UK & US Cinema Release for November 28
Fresh off its award for Best Narrative Feature at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival, James Omokwe’s ‘Osamede’ is set to expand globally. The Benin-set epic, produced by Lilian Olubi, will screen in select cinemas across the United Kingdom and the United States from November 28, continuing its momentum as one of Nollywood’s most culturally […]
‘The Herd’ Tackles the Harsh Reality of Insecurity in Nigeria
The premiere of ‘The Herd’ was more than a typical Nollywood red carpet affair; it was a confrontation with one of Nigeria’s most pressing crises. Directed by Daniel Etim Effiong, who also stars in the leading role, the film doesn’t shy away from the brutal reality of insecurity and the devastating impact of herdsmen insurgency […]
Entertainment Week Africa 2025 Merges Film Fashion and Comedy
One of Africa’s biggest creative showcases is back! Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) returns to Lagos from November 18 to 23, 2025, transforming the city into a playground for filmmakers, fashion designers, comedians, and storytellers from across the continent. Now in its latest edition, the six-day event promises a vibrant lineup of screenings, runway shows, premieres, […]