Picking the “best” films of the year is always a complex task that involves art, influence, and audience connection. For 2025, a landmark year when the reach and impact of Nollywood films grew dramatically, a broad approach is needed. The list below uses a scoring system that evaluates Critical Acclaim and Artistic Quality, Audience Reception and Cultural Resonance, Industry Impact and Innovation, Festival and Awards, and Cultural/Social Relevance. The goal is to find films where the elements that create a standout movie come together.
In 2025, the Nigerian film industry stepped up and took its rightful place among the greats while continuing to produce outstanding films.
Here are the top films that made this possible.
Director: Akinola Davies Jr. | Genre: Historical Drama
This movie marks the year’s most significant achievement in terms of implications and accomplishments. The film’s selection for Cannes’ Un Certain Regard and its subsequent entry into the Oscars meet the Festival Recognition and Global Reach criteria. It has received acclaim for its script quality, majestic direction, remarkable performances, and visual beauty, blending personal memory with national history through its subtle brilliance.
Director: Daniel Etim Effiong | Genre: Social Thriller
A prime example of pressing and relevant filmmaking, The Herd excels in Cultural and Social Relevance and Audience Engagement. Its October release coincided with a “kidnapping epidemic” in the country, sparking immediate and ongoing discussion. As a director’s debut, it plays an essential role in the film industry, thanks to its realistic feel and tightly woven, ensemble-driven storytelling.
Director: Taiwo Egunjobi | Genres: Action/Thriller
This movie sets a new standard for Industry Impact and Innovation in its genre. It enhances the Nollywood thriller genre with its sophisticated delivery, impressive cinematography, fast-paced action, and skilled direction. The movie satisfies audiences with exciting escapism and earns critical praise for its artistic quality. It shows that commercial genre cinema can also be an artistic statement, inspiring younger filmmakers with its style and atmosphere.
Director: Niyi Akinmolayan | Genre: Historical Epic
In terms of production value, Lisabi is a significant milestone due to its Technical Artistic Quality, which includes grand production design and visual effects. It also has Cultural Relevance, as it explores lesser-known aspects of Yoruba history on an epic scale. This film contributes to a growing body of work within Nigerian historical stories with indigenous roots. Its commercial success and positive audience reactions to its spectacle and engaging performances by Lateef Adedimeji reflect its viability.
Director: Bukla Ogunsola | Genre: Family Drama
The strength of this film lies in both Audience Resonance and its themes. It presents a compelling family drama that addresses intergenerational trauma while resonating with universal experiences. The film’s artistry shines through in its thoughtful writing and performances, enhancing its emotional depth. This represents the pinnacle of contemporary family drama in the Nollywood tradition.
Director: Okechukwu Oku | Genres: Psychological/Thriller
Blackout has impressed with its artistic innovation in storytelling. It features a clever, high-concept idea, a psychological thriller involving amnesia, and approaches this with skill and seriousness that indicate progress in its genre. The film’s success comes from blending elements of psychological terror with domestic drama, which captivates its audience and earns praise for direction and structure.
Director: Uduak-Obong Patrick | Genre: Historical Epic
This movie is essential for its relevance and diversity. It bravely addresses the dark history of 19th-century Cross River society and the taboos surrounding twins, presenting a subject rarely seen in mainstream films. Its industry relevance lies in its detailed world-building and desire to showcase a lesser-known period in our history. It meets the key requirement by adding to the diversity of stories Nollywood tells on screen.
Director: Niyi Akinmolayan | Genres: Diaspora/Family Drama
This emotional drama excels in Audience Resonance and Performance. Niyi Akinmolayan examines the complicated relationship between mother and daughter with honesty, focusing on themes of loss, forgiveness, and conflict in a diasporic family. The film’s strength lies in its emotional truth, conveyed through outstanding performances.
Director: Akay Mason | Genre: Crime Thriller
Red Circle is entertaining and fast-paced, ranking among the best in Genre Representation and Contemporary Relevance. As a crime thriller that explores corruption, it mirrors societal pressures within communities. It demonstrates the potential of the investigative thriller genre in Nigeria through a passionate lead character and relevant themes that emphasize moral integrity.
Director: Omoni Oboli | Genre: Romantic
This film secures its place by effectively addressing the Genre Representation criterion for a quality romance film. It captures the enchanting moments and emotional depth typical of the genre, delivering genuine entertainment. The film’s success in Audience Reception, thanks to the stars’ charming chemistry, underscores the importance of uplifting romantic cinema in a well-rounded industry mix.
The Wrap
The films from 2025 showcase Nollywood at its peak of creative skill and international recognition. However, this progress also highlights the challenges ahead. Industry leaders recognize that maintaining this growth requires a shift from quantity to quality, focusing on technical excellence and audience experience to compete globally.
The current challenge is to establish robust international distribution channels to ensure that outstanding stories like these reach their full potential worldwide. As filmmakers navigate changing global streaming trends to regain control over their intellectual property, the creative growth of 2025 must evolve into a steady rise, achieved not just through ambition but through solid infrastructure, investment, and a vision that ensures its future.