‘Black Market’ Breaks Guinness World Record With Over 51,000 Viewers

Nollywood crime thriller Black Market has set a Guinness World Record after more than 51,000 people watched the film at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in Lagos.

The screening took place on Saturday, September 26, with thousands of movie lovers gathering at TBS for the film’s premiere. Guinness World Records recognised 51,000 viewers as the qualifying attendance for the largest audience at a film screening in a single location.

The figure surpassed the previous record of 43,624 viewers, set in 2015 during a screening of the Filipino film Felix Manalo at the Philippine Arena. Organisers of Black Market had targeted 50,000 viewers for the Lagos screening.

Photo: Instagram/@fatimahgimsay

Attendance at TBS was reportedly higher than the number recognised for the record. Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat put the total event attendance at about 64,000 people. However, Guinness World Records counted only viewers who stayed for the screening from start to finish, making 51,000 the official figure.

The event began in the afternoon, with the gates opening at about 2pm and the red carpet starting around 3pm. The main screening took place in the evening, while music, food and games were also part of the programme. Long queues were reported around TBS as attendees arrived.

Black Market follows five women involved in a cross-border smuggling operation whose lives take a turn after the daughter of one of them is kidnapped. The film was directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay and written by Gimsay and Abdul Tijani-Ahmed.

The cast includes 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 film was produced by Rixel Studios, Signet Ring Studios and FilmOne Studios, while FilmOne Entertainment handled its distribution.

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