Nollywood and African Films and Series Everyone Is Watching Right Now
From Funke Akindele's December release to Netflix hits and award winners, here are the Nollywood and African films and series worth your next movie night, with where to find them.
TL;DR: Mark 11 December for Funke Akindele's The Four in cinemas. Until then, stream Behind the Scenes, Oversabi Aunty, Seriously Single Too, Aníkúlápó season 2 and To Kill a Monkey on Netflix, SuperNowa on Prime Video, and My Father's Shadow on MUBI. Availability was checked on 9 October 2026 and varies by country.
There is a special kind of joy in a Nollywood movie night. Jollof on the side, the group chat buzzing, someone shouting at the screen because the aunty is about to make a terrible decision. The last year has been a big one for Nigerian and African film, with record box office numbers, festival awards and a steady stream of titles landing on Netflix and Prime Video. Here is what to watch now, and what to book tickets for before the year is out.
A quick note before we start: everything below was checked on 9 October 2026. Streaming deals change, and a title on Netflix in Nigeria may not be on Netflix in the UK or the US, so check your own app before you make the popcorn.
What is coming to cinemas this December?
The big one is The Four: No One Fights Alone, written, directed and produced by Funke Akindele, opening in cinemas on 11 December 2026 through FilmOne Entertainment. It follows Esosa and three loyal friends as they fight for a young man's future, moving between a rural community and the city. The ensemble includes Bisola Aiyeola, Chioma Akpotha, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Timini Egbuson and Lateef Adedimeji. December releases from Akindele have become an event in Nigeria, so book early if you are home for the holidays.
Films to stream now
Behind the Scenes (Netflix)
Akindele and Tunde Olaoye's 2025 drama opened in cinemas on 12 December 2025 and went on to gross more than ₦2.7 billion, making it the highest-grossing Nollywood title at the time. It follows Aderonke, a generous property mogul whose life falls apart because of selfish family members, which makes it a very relatable watch about boundaries. It has been on Netflix since 3 April 2026.
Oversabi Aunty (Netflix)
Toyin Abraham's directorial debut is a comedy about an overzealous church usher whose meddling in other people's family affairs causes chaos. It was the first Nollywood directorial debut to cross ₦1 billion at the box office, and it arrived on Netflix on 2 October 2026, going straight to number one in Netflix Nigeria's top 10 films. Watch it with your mum. Or do not, depending on how close to home it lands.
Seriously Single Too (Netflix)
A South African sequel to the 2020 romantic comedy, out on Netflix on 16 October 2026. Best friends Dineo and Noni, with Tumi Morake as Noni, head from Johannesburg to Cape Town for a bachelorette trip that goes sideways in every possible way. Pure comfort viewing.
SuperNowa (Prime Video)
Sonia Irabor's coming-of-age film premiered on Prime Video on 9 January 2026. It follows Nowa, a gifted young girl dealing with pressure, social anxiety and the isolation of being seen as exceptional. It is a gentle film that talks openly about the emotional weight young people carry. If it stirs something for you, our guide to anxiety and depression in women is a good next read.
My Father's Shadow (MUBI)
Akinola Davies Jr.'s debut feature follows two young brothers spending a day in Lagos with their father during the 1993 election crisis. It premiered at Cannes in 2025 and won the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut, and took Best Movie at the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards. It streams on MUBI, though availability varies by region.
Series to binge
Aníkúlápó: Rise of the Spectre, season 2 (Netflix)
Kunle Afolayan's Yoruba fantasy series returned on 30 January 2026, continuing Saro's story with Sola Sobowale, Kunle Remi and Bimbo Ademoye among the returning cast, and filming that stretched from Nigeria to Cape Coast in Ghana. Lush costumes, big mythology, and very bingeable.
To Kill a Monkey (Netflix)
Kemi Adetiba's eight-part crime thriller landed on Netflix on 18 July 2025. Efemini, an ordinary man facing hard times, reconnects with an old acquaintance and is drawn into the world of cybercrime, and every episode tightens the screws. Not one to watch right before bed.
Is anything new in cinemas right now?
Yes. East West Love, a Kenyan-Nigerian romantic comedy directed by Seko Shamte and starring Sunshine Rosman and Brian Abajah, opened on 9 October 2026 in Kenya, Nigeria, Canada and the UK. A girls' trip to Mombasa after a heartbreak turns into something more, and it is a lovely example of East and West African film crossing over.
Earlier this year, Onobiren: A Woman's Story, from Laju Iren Films and featuring Bisola Aiyeola and Patience Ozokwor, opened in cinemas in March, and Joel Kachi Benson's documentary Mothers of Chibok was released in February. Keep an eye out for both on streaming.
Wait, where did Showmax go?
If you are looking for your usual African shows on Showmax, Canal+, which has been acquiring MultiChoice, said in March 2026 that it was shutting the service down and replacing it with its own Canal+ streaming app. If a show you loved lived there, check that app and the streamers above.
Make it a proper movie night
Pick one comedy and one drama so the group can vote. If your period is likely to land on the night, plan for comfort: a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel on your tummy is an NHS-recommended way to ease cramps, and it pairs well with a blanket and a long film. Our post on nutrition and menstrual cramps has snack ideas that help, too. If you track your cycle in Asele, you can see roughly when your next period is due and plan the big outing for a week you will enjoy it.
Happy watching, and save us a seat in December.
Sources
- Pulse Nigeria. Funke Akindele announces new feature film The Four. pulse.ng
- Leadership. Behind The Scenes movie debuts on Netflix, 4 April 2026. leadership.ng
- The Nollywood Reporter. Toyin Abraham's Oversabi Aunty tops Netflix Nigeria. thenollywoodreporter.com
- TV Mzansi. Seriously Single Too: everything to know. tvmzansi.co.za
- ThisDay. Nemsia Studios unveils SuperNowa. thisdaylive.com
- Afrocritik. My Father's Shadow wins Outstanding Debut award at 2026 BAFTA. afrocritik.com
- The Punch. AMVCA 2026: full list of winners. punchng.com
- MUBI. My Father's Shadow. mubi.com
- The Nollywood Reporter. Kunle Afolayan sets January release for Anikulapo season 2. thenollywoodreporter.com
- ShockNG. Kemi Adetiba's Netflix series To Kill A Monkey sets July 18 premiere date. shockng.com
- Sinema Focus. East West Love sets October release. sinemafocus.com
- BusinessDay. Laju Iren taps Women's Day as Onobiren film opens at N30.1m, 10 March 2026. businessday.ng
- The Culture Custodian. 8 Nollywood films worth your attention in 2026. culturecustodian.com
- Business Insider Africa. Canal+ calls Showmax an "expensive failure" after $522m losses, 12 March 2026. africa.businessinsider.com
- NHS. Period pain. nhs.uk
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