Iconic Nollywood Movies Turning 10 in 2026

By 2016, Nollywood was heading into a new phase. Cinema releases were more ambitious, production quality was improving fast, and the audiences were showing up in record numbers.

It was also the year Netflix officially became available in the country, and its presence impacted the funding that invariably raised the quality of local content and further enhanced distribution and consumption beyond Nigeria. 

Taking a trip across a decade of Nigerian music, we will find 2016 to be a pivotal one that defined careers, revolutionized storytelling, raised production standards, excited new consumers, and brought more international attention to Nollywood. 

We have selected 10 iconic movies from 2016 that reflect the excellence and evolution of the Nigerian movie industry. 

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We can’t talk about 2016 without referring to the Box office record breaker, ‘The Wedding Party,’ that brought Nigeria’s beloved couple, Banky W and Adesua Etomi, to the big screen.

Directed by Kemi Adetiba, the film became the highest-grossing Nigerian movie of its time, transforming the typical Nigerian wedding into an era-shifting moment for the Nigerian movie industry.

The plot revolves around the wedding ceremony of heartthrobs Dunni and Dozie, whose big day turned into a chaotic series of events as class tension, family drama, and unexpected revelations threaten to derail their wedding.

Beyond its glamour, comedy, and chaos, the film redefined what commercial success could look like for Nollywood. It expanded cinema audiences, launched a franchise, and proved that Nigerian films could dominate the box office at home while attracting global attention.

Kunle Afolayan’s ‘The CEO’ felt deliberately global at a time when Nollywood was still finding its footing on international screens.

The movie tells the story of five top executives who are invited to what feels like a luxury corporate retreat, only to discover that one of them will leave as the company’s new CEO. As alliances shift and egos clash, the polished environment gives way to quiet sabotage and power games.

With a multinational cast that included Kemi Lala Akindoju, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Hilda Dokubo, and Angélique Kidjo, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Directed by Tolu Lordtanner, the romantic comedy broke box office records in early 2016, setting a new high for single-day ticket sales. Its ensemble cast, led by Lilian Esoro and Adesua Etomi, followed three couples on a weekend getaway that slowly unravelled.

Three couples head to Ibadan for a carefree weekend getaway, hoping for romance, fun, and a break from the rigors of Lagos life. Instead, unresolved issues, jealousy, and long-buried secrets surface, testing each relationship in unexpected ways.

The film’s strength was its relatability. It captured modern Nigerian relationships with humour and honesty. 

Greg Odutayo’s ‘Beyond Blood’ took a heavier emotional route. Starring Kehinde Bankole, the film followed Moji, a humanitarian whose seemingly perfect life collapses after a series of betrayals, pushing her into a painful journey of self-discovery.

The movie excels in its willingness to confront uncomfortable themes like trafficking, addiction, and moral compromise without glamouring dressing them up to suit a society that likes to ignore such subjects. The film remains one of the calmer but more thoughtful releases of that year, often revisited for its strong performances and emotional honesty.

Few Nollywood films have treated Nigerian history with the care and scale of ’76. Directed by Izu Ojukwu, the film revisited the aftermath of the 1976 military coup and the assassination of General Murtala Mohammed, framing national tragedy through a personal love story.

With standout performances from Ramsey Nouah, Rita Dominic, and Chidi Mokeme, this movie raised the bar for historical storytelling in Nollywood. Its attention to detail is captured by the director’s willingness to embark on the painstaking process of getting military approval for the use of the force’s paraphernalia and infrastructure. 

‘Oloibiri’ leaned fully into political storytelling. Starring Olu Jacobs and Richard Mofe-Damijo, the film tackled the exploitation of oil-rich communities in the Niger Delta, placing human suffering at the centre of a national conversation.

At a time when many films avoided overt political themes, ‘Oloibiri’ was direct and unapologetic. Its message remains relevant today, which is why it continues to resurface whenever conversations around resource control and environmental injustice return to the spotlight.

Directed by Abba Makama, ‘Green White Green’ captured the restless energy of Nigerian youth with surprising accuracy. The coming-of-age story followed three teenagers stuck in the long wait for university admission, drifting through uncertainty, ambition, and frustration.

The film’s raw dialogue and observational tone made it feel almost like a documentary rather than fiction. Its themes of disillusionment, “japa” dreams, and lack of direction are still strongly relatable, making it one of the most influential youth-focused films of its time.

A group of market women decides to deny their husbands sex to protest child marriage in their community, sparking chaos, comedy, and unexpected change.

What makes  Omoni Oboli’s ‘Wives on Strike’ memorable is how it blends humour with activism. It arrived at the height of the #ChildNotBride conversation and used satire to push a serious message, proving Nollywood could entertain while challenging social norms. Its sequel, ‘The Revolution’, was released in 2018.

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