Ivie Okujaye Calls ‘Osamede’ The “Happiest Call of My Career” After Nearly Giving Up
Ivie Okujaye was eating noodles and eggs when her phone rang. On the other end was James Omokwe, calling to offer her the lead role in his Benin epic, ‘Osamede’. “It was the happiest call of my career,” she says. “I didn’t even see it coming. I hadn’t heard a thing about the project, and […]
Watch: Burna Boy Introduces ‘3 Cold Dishes’ Trailer as Osas Ighodaro Hunts Wale Ojo Across Borders
The first official trailer for Asurf Oluseyi’s long-awaited thriller ‘3 Cold Dishes’ has arrived, opening with Burna Boy’s unmistakable voice. The Grammy-winning artist appears on screen after the popular voiceover from his 2020 track ‘Monsters You Made’ before declaring, “3 Cold Dishes. The official trailer drops in 3, 2, 1, pow.” From there, the trailer […]
Bolanle Austen-Peters to Deliver Keynote at NFVCB Digital Content Conference
The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has announced that Bolanle Austen-Peters will deliver the keynote address at the 5th edition of the Peace Anyiam-Osigwe Nigerian Digital Content Regulatory Conference (PAO NDCRC). The event is scheduled for November 18–19, 2025, at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos. This year’s conference will be held under the […]
Why MBO Capital Backed ‘Osamede’: Folajimi Alli-Balogun on What The Firm Looks for in Films
With the upcoming release of ‘Osamede’, a new Benin epic adapted from a hit stage play, Folajimi Alli-Balogun, Assistant Vice President at MBO Capital, explains why the investment firm backed the project, what stands out about its cultural and cinematic value, and the key factors MBO considers before financing films. The epic arrives in cinemas […]
Ramsey Nouah Would Have Been Amazing in ‘Breath of Life’
Being a Nollyphile means more than just watching Nollywood films; it’s about living with them, obsessing over them, and constantly reimagining what else could be possible. For DJ Talia, that obsession has always circled back to Ramsey Nouah. From the VHS tapes of the 90s to the glossy streaming titles of today, he has followed […]
Omotayo Inakoju on the Strongest Defenses Every Filmmaker Needs
Every superhero has a mission. For Omotayo Inakoju, it is protecting Nollywood one contract, one copyright, and one filmmaker at a time. Where many filmmakers might overlook the fine print, she sees the future of their work secured through copyright, contracts, and clean chains of title. Her mission is simple but powerful: to make sure […]
‘Osamede’: Moses Babatope Confident Edo Heritage and Pride Will Drive Success
From Toronto, where he was attending the Toronto International Film Festival as an advisory board member for its 2026 content market, Moses Babatope was already looking past the red carpets. “We keep looking for avenues and ways to get our products out and globally monetised,” he told Nollywire. That ambition is at the heart of […]
The Different Frames of Eva Ibiam
Eva Ibiam is one of the emerging faces of Nollywood’s streaming era, an actor whose performances cut across YouTube dramas, Showmax series, Prime Video exclusives, and Netflix blockbusters. What sets her apart is her ease in slipping between romance, suspense, and social commentary, always leaving an impression, whether she is navigating heartbreak, exposing secrets, or […]
Niyi Akinmolayan Sets New Movie For Q4 2025
Niyi Akinmolayan will return to cinemas in the final quarter of 2025 with a new film. While no title, cast, or storyline has been revealed yet, the confirmation alone marks one of the year’s most anticipated announcements. The filmmaker has been at the center of several of Nollywood’s defining conversations this year. His family drama […]
Razaaq Adoti Goes Extreme in ‘Son of the Soil’ Exclusive Trailer
The wait is over. Nollywire has the exclusive first look at Son of the Soil’s official trailer, released three hours ahead of any other platform, offering audiences a thrilling glimpse into what is already being called Nollywood’s most ambitious action film yet. Directed by award-winning British-Chinese filmmaker Chee Keong Cheung (Redcon-1), ‘Son of the Soil’ […]
‘Osamede’: Director James Omokwe Returns to Cinema After 12 Years
Twelve years ago, James Omokwe walked into Nigerian cinemas with ‘Awakening’, a supernatural thriller born of youthful ambition. With a modest budget and little publicity, it flopped, leaving him in debt and out of options. “I didn’t know what I was doing in terms of distribution,” he now admits. But the lesson about how unforgiving […]
Inside Nile Entertainment’s First-Look Deal With Action Xtreme: Why ‘Son of the Soil’ Matters
Nile Media Entertainment Group, led by Moses Babatope, has signed a first-look deal with U.K. outfit Action Xtreme to co-produce and distribute a slate of action films and series. The agreement, first reported by Variety, marks Nile’s first formal international first-look partnership and one Babatope says could be a template for future co-productions. The partnership […]
‘Osamede’ Trailer Offers a Glimpse Into Benin’s Past
The wait is over: the first trailer for ‘Osamede’ has dropped, pulling audiences into a world where history and myth collide. Shot over just 14 days in Benin City, the film revisits the events of 1897, when the British invasion dismantled the Benin Empire, but tells them through an unexpected lens. Its heroine, Osamede, played […]
‘King of Boys’ Prequel: How Eniola Salami Rose to Power
For Nollyphiles, few topics stir as much as prequels or sequels. Some see them as unnecessary add-ons that dilute the original story. Others embrace them as a chance to dive deeper into a character who refuses to fade from memory. Toluwanimi Okunade, a lawyer living in Ibadan and a committed Nollyphile falls into the latter […]
William Benson on Feeling Overlooked in Nollywood, ‘To Kill a Monkey’ Breakthrough, and Playing Iyase in ‘Osamede’
For years, William Benson was the actor Nollywood praised but rarely placed at the center. At industry functions, colleagues called him talented, even “perfect for that role,” but when the casting decisions landed, his name was missing. “They give you your accolades or they praise you in the frame where they are, not outward,” he […]
Joy Odiete on SIRA and Why Nollywood Must Trade, Not Just Showcase
For more than 20 years, Joy Odiete has travelled the world, attending film festivals from Cannes to Toronto. Each trip, she says, came at a cost (flights, hotels, screening fees) and too often, she returned to Lagos with little to show in terms of actual business. That frustration is what pushed the Blue Pictures CEO […]
How ‘Osamede’s’ Cast Lived Benin’s Epic in 14 Days
When ‘Osamede’ opens in Nigerian cinemas on October 17, audiences will see a sweeping historical epic rooted in Benin’s past. But behind the battle scenes and cultural detail lies another story; the personal journeys of the cast who brought the characters to life. For many, the film is more than a role; it is a […]
Nollywood Gets Its First Sales & Distribution Executives, Thanks to Trino Motion Pictures and NIFS
When Trino Motion Pictures turns 10 next year, the Lagos studio will be looking back at a decade of film production while also marking a major shift: from telling stories to building the systems that sell them. Earlier this year, Nollywood International Film and TV Summit (NIFS) and Trino launched the International Sales & Distribution […]
Brenda Fashugba Says Nollywood Doesn’t Fully Show Women’s Realities on Screen
This article is part of Nollywire’s FRAME at NIFS coverage, spotlighting conversations about women’s realities in Nollywood’s stories and behind-the-scenes spaces. During the FRAME conversation at the Nigeria International Film Summit in Lagos, Lagos Fringe co-founder Brenda Fashugba raised a different kind of challenge. While much of Nollywood’s progress is visible on screen, she argued […]
Ego Boyo Says This is What Nollywood Must Do Next For Women
This story is part of our series from FRAME at NIFS Lagos, where industry leaders reflected on women’s stories, roles, and representation in Nollywood. At FRAME, the women-in-film conversation at the Nigeria International Film Summit in Lagos, veteran actor and producer Ego Boyo reflected on how representation has always been more than a buzzword for […]
Biodun Stephen on Nollywood’s Stereotype Problem | FRAME at NIFS 2025
At the Nigeria International Film Summit in Lagos, filmmaker Biodun Stephen joined a FRAME panel moderated by writer and culture curator Wana Udobang, alongside industry figures Ego Boyo and Brenda Fashugba. The conversation turned sharply to one of Nollywood’s biggest habits: leaning on stereotypes to tell stories and cast actors. Stephen, known for character-driven dramas […]
‘Osamede’ Signals a New Wave of Diverse Nollywood Epics
Nollywood’s historical epics often lean towards Yoruba mythology and legends, creating a familiar landscape for audiences at home and abroad. But with ‘Osamede’, a new frontier is opening. Directed by James Omokwe and executive produced by Lilian Olubi, the film places the Benin Kingdom at the centre of a sweeping story while challenging traditional notions […]
‘Osamede’ Heads to Silicon Valley African Film Festival
The historical epic ‘Osamede’ is set to make its U.S. festival debut at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival in California. Directed by James Omokwe and executive produced by Lilian Olubi, the film brings to life the story of a young orphaned girl who must embrace her destiny and rise as the hero of the […]
Nollywood Meets Qatar: Nile Media and Oryx Group Create New Market for Nigerian Cinema
Nile Media Entertainment Group is expanding Nollywood’s global reach with a new partnership in Qatar. Working with Doha-based Oryx Group, one of the leading African entertainment companies in the region, the initiative will introduce Nigerian films to local audiences while creating opportunities for cultural exchange and collaboration. Far beyond a film release, the move reflects […]
Lani Aisida Is Expanding His Kingdom Beyond Web Series With ‘Say Who Die’
Lani Aisida is a name many Nollywood audiences first came to know through his web series days. From ‘Marriage Counsellor’ to ‘Oga Pastor’, he was part of the wave that helped shape Nigeria’s digital storytelling era which led him to being dubbed him “King of Web Series”. Over time, he built a reputation as a […]
Niyi Akinmolayan Calls Industry Professionals to Test OneTake App’s Pro Version
Niyi Akinmolayan is inviting producers, directors, and casting agents to participate in the next phase of the OneTake App, the platform designed to connect actors with filmmakers. After completing its beta testing, the app is now opening up for broader industry testing and feedback. Available on both the App Store and Google Play Store, the […]
The Streaming Wars Might Be Nollywood’s Saving Grace
Last weekend, Kava, a streaming platform born from the collaboration of Filmhouse and Inkblot, launched. It joins the other homegrown streamers—Circuits, Showmax, Ebonylife Plus, and Iroko TV—trying to fix the distribution crisis plaguing Nollywood. But the announcement was met with scepticism from Nollyphiles. For Vanessa Ohaha, a fashion and culture journalist, she fears an oversaturation […]
BRS Studios’ ‘Stitches’ Heads to TIFF as Shirley Frimpong-Manso Returns to Cinema
BRS Studios’ ‘Stitches’ will make its world reveal selected at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), marking Shirley Frimpong-Manso’s long-awaited return to cinema since ‘The Perfect Picture: 10 Years Later’ in 2019. The Ghanaian filmmaker, second only to Funke Akindele in Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards history with 20 nominations and 5 wins, brings […]
Iroko Critic and Nigeria Box Office Host Mid-Year Nollywood Conversation with Nollyphiles
At the halfway point of 2025, Nollywood Film Club — powered by Iroko Critic — gathered nollyphiles for a spirited three-hour conversation reflecting on the state of Nigerian cinema. In collaboration with Nollywire’s Nollyphile community and Nigeria Box Office, the discussion cut across box office hits, festival films, audience unpredictability, and the enduring difficulties of […]
This Nollyphile Can’t Get Over the Death of Pana in Gangs of Lagos
For many nollyphiles, the stories we watch don’t just end when the credits roll. They linger, especially the ones where a beloved character is suddenly taken from us. A death on screen can feel like losing someone we know—shocking, painful, and unforgettable. Nkemakolam Akua, a dedicated nollyphile, shares with us the film death that completely […]