Nigeria’s film industry continued its strong rise in 2026 as the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) approved and classified 304 films between January and April.
This figure surpassed the 267 films the Board classified during the same period in 2025, further highlighting the growing strength of Nigeria’s creative sector.
Film Industry Growth
At the start of the year, filmmakers pushed out more productions and drove classification numbers higher.
In January alone, the Board classified 102 films.
Then, February followed with 83 films, while March and April recorded 77 and 42 films respectively.
By comparison, the industry recorded lower figures during the first four months of 2025, with 25 films in January, 58 in February, 114 in March and 70 in April.
Language Distribution
Meanwhile, English-language productions dominated the industry with 201 films.
Igbo filmmakers also contributed strongly with 44 productions, while Yoruba producers added 42 films to the list.
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In addition, the Board approved nine Hindi films, five Hausa films and three Bini films during the review period.
Classification Trends
The classification categories also revealed the direction of modern storytelling in Nigeria’s film industry.
Most filmmakers focused on mature themes, which pushed many productions into the ‘15’ and ‘18’ categories.
Specifically, the Board rated 10 films as ‘G’, 16 as ‘PG’, and 18 under the ‘12/12A’ category.
Furthermore, it classified 157 films as ‘15’ and 103 films as ‘18’.
Commenting on the industry’s performance, Deborah Malgwi reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to responsible storytelling, professionalism and the steady growth of Nigeria’s film industry in line with national values and international standards.
She also explained that the increase in film classification activities reflects the resilience and expanding capacity of Nigeria’s creative industry, especially in local content production and distribution.
Moreover, Malgwi reminded filmmakers that film classification plays an important role in protecting children and vulnerable audiences from unsuitable content while guiding parents, guardians and the public on appropriate viewing choices.
