Nollywood film Black Market has set a Guinness World Records title after 51,000 qualifying viewers attended its screening at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in Lagos.
The record-breaking screening took place on Saturday, 26 September 2026, as the filmmakers staged an outdoor premiere designed to attract at least 50,000 simultaneous viewers. Guinness World Records confirmed 51,000 attendees as the qualifying audience.
The figure surpasses the previous record of 43,624 viewers, set in 2015 during a screening of the Filipino film Felix Manalo at the Philippine Arena.
The total crowd at TBS was reportedly higher. Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat put overall attendance at approximately 64,000, but Guinness World Records based its official figure on spectators who remained at the venue from the beginning of the film through to the end of the screening.
The event effectively transformed TBS into a large-scale temporary cinema, with gates opening from around 2pm and entertainment, food and games taking place ahead of the main screening. The film began at approximately 7pm.
Black Market is a crime thriller directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay, who co-wrote the film with Abdul Tijani-Ahmed. The story follows five women involved in a cross-border smuggling operation whose lives are disrupted after the daughter of one of them is kidnapped.
The film stars Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Lateef Adedimeji, Omowunmi Dada, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok, Ibrahim Yekini, popularly known as Itele D Icon, and Uzor Arukwe, among others.
The project involves Rixel Studios, FilmOne Studios, Signet Ring Studios and Switch Visuals Production, with FilmOne Entertainment handling distribution. The Lagos State Government also supported the large-scale event through its Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
Beyond the record itself, the premiere demonstrates an alternative approach to film launches, turning a theatrical release into a large-scale audience and entertainment event. The model combines cinema, live entertainment and mass participation around a single screening rather than relying solely on conventional cinema venues.
With the Guinness recognition now confirmed, Black Market moves into its wider theatrical release carrying a record-setting premiere that has put audience scale at the centre of its launch strategy.
