Nollywood’s Black Market sets world record with 51,000 viewers at Lagos screening

Nollywood crime thriller Black Market has set a new Guinness World Records record after 51,000 people watched the film at a single screening in Lagos.

The record-breaking screening was held on Saturday evening at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos, attracting thousands of movie lovers who gathered at the venue several hours before the event began.

Crowds reportedly started arriving as early as 2pm, with long queues forming around the venue. The main screening commenced at about 7pm.

Guinness World Records confirmed 51,000 as the official qualifying attendance after the screening. The figure was based on the number of viewers who remained at the venue from the beginning of the movie until the end.

The confirmation followed an earlier announcement by Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, that about 64,000 people had attended the event.

The announcement of the new record triggered celebrations among the crowd, with cheers and fireworks witnessed at the venue.

The organisers had set a target of attracting at least 50,000 simultaneous viewers in a bid to surpass the previous record of 43,624 people.

The previous record was reportedly set by Iglesia Ni Cristo during a screening of Felix Manalo at The Philippine Arena in Ciudad de Victoria, Philippines, on October 4, 2015.

The Lagos event was attended by Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson, as well as several Nollywood personalities.

Among the stars present were Lateef Adedimeji, Kunle Remi, Stan Nze, Linda Ejiofor, Gabriel Afolayan and Kunle Afolayan.

Black Market was produced in collaboration with FilmOne Studios, Signet Ring Studios and Switch Visuals Production.

The movie was directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay, who also co-wrote the film with Abdul Tijani-Ahmed.

The story centres on five women involved in a cross-border smuggling operation. Their lives take a dramatic turn after the daughter of one of the women is kidnapped.

The cast includes Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Lateef Adedimeji, Omowunmi Dada, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok, Itele D Icon and Uzor Arukwe.

Gimsay had earlier disclosed in an interview with TheCable Lifestyle that breaking a world record was one of the major goals she and her team set for the movie.

The successful screening has now placed Black Market in the Guinness World Records for the largest attendance at a film screening in a single location.

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