The 2010s were a weirdly wonderful decade for Nollywood. It was the era where the industry found its balance between chaos and class, between the wild storylines of the 2000s and the safe storytelling of the present. Some films tried too hard. Some didn’t try at all. But in between the mess and the magic, a few stood out, not just as good films, but as cultural moments. This list is about those truly good movies. About the movies that told a story from start to finish. From the crowd-pleasers to the quiet masterpieces, here are the ten best Nollywood films of the 2010s, ranked in ascending order.
10. FIFTY (2015)
Directed by Biyi Bandele and produced by EbonyLife Films, it followed four women navigating life at the age of (you guessed it) fifty. It didn’t just focus on age but it also focused on reinvention, mess, secrets, and the layered lives of Nigerian women at the top of their game. With a cast featuring Ireti Doyle, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Nse Ikpe-Etim, and Omoni Oboli, it gave us real drama without leaning on melodrama. It looked clean, it sounded expensive, and for its time, it was the film to talk about. We hadn’t seen stories like that told that way before.
9. 76 (2016)
76 is one of those films you know the people behind it bled for. Directed by Izu Ojukwu and starring Ramsey Nouah and Rita Dominic, it’s set around the botched military coup of 1976. But unlike typical military films, 76 was really a love story of loyalty, betrayal, and sacrifice. You could feel the effort in every scene: the costumes, the accents, the restraint in storytelling. It was clear they weren’t trying to do “too much,” they were just trying to do it well. And they did.
8. THE WEDDING PARTY (2016)
The Wedding Party is iconic. Period. Directed by Kemi Adetiba and backed by EbonyLife Films, the wedding party was clean, it was glamorous, it was chaotic in a very Nigerian way. Looking back now, a lot of the antics feel cliche. But that’s only because so many films after it tried (and failed) to recreate that same magic. Even its own sequel couldn’t catch the lightning again. The Wedding Party worked because it was authentic, fresh, and it understood the assignment and delivered.
7. PHONE SWAP (2012)
Classic Kunle Afolayan. Phone Swap is what happens when a simple idea is executed with actual care. Nse Ikpe-Etim and Wale Ojo led a cast that just felt like real people caught in a ridiculous situation. The story was light but smart, the comedy wasn’t forced, and for a film that could’ve easily been gimmicky, it was shockingly grounded. You smiled your way through it.
6. PICTURE PERFECT (2017)
Picture Perfect did something a lot of comedies fail at: it didn’t try too hard. Bolanle Ninalowo’s character Jobe was iconic in a way that wasn’t even meant to be iconic. Mary Njoku and Bisola Aiyeola gave performances that were so grounded, you felt like you knew these people. It had warmth, humor, and heart. It didn’t need to be flashy or overly clever, it was just enjoyable. A true sleeper hit.
5. KING OF BOYS (2018)
King of Boys was a statement.
Kemi Adetiba came with a vengeance, and Sola Sobowale gave us a masterclass. Alhaja Eniola Salami was a character for the ages. She was powerful, vulnerable, terrifying, and magnetic. The movie gave us something bold, fresh, and unapologetically Nigerian. It was political, emotional, and raw in a way Nollywood hadn’t quite done before. It proved you can make a blockbuster without playing it safe or relying on comedy.
4. MAAMI (2011)
Maami, directed by Tunde Kelani, is one of those quiet, emotionally-loaded Yoruba films that stays with you. It was soft. It was painful. It was beautifully local. Funke Akindele stripped away all the usual comedic energy and gave us something vulnerable, tender, and true. It’s a story about a mother’s love and the sacrifices that come with it. No antics, just pure, powerful storytelling.
3. THE MEETING (2012)
This is how you do comedy without being annoying. Directed by Mildred Okwo and starring Femi Jacobs and Rita Dominic, The Meeting was satire with heart. It was a love story wrapped in the frustration of Nigerian bureaucracy. Rita Dominic was in her element, completely disappearing into the role of Clara Ikemba. The film was effortlessly charming, funny in all the right ways, and somehow even romantic.
2. OCTOBER 1 (2014)
October 1 was and is a very important film.
Kunle Afolayan made a true statement with this film and it has stayed with us well over a decade. Set just before Nigeria’s independence, it’s a psychological thriller that doesn’t dumb itself down for the audience. It’s dark, uncomfortable, and deeply layered. It’s one of the few films that merges art with social commentary in a way that leaves you feeling haunted, in the best way.
1. HALF OF A YELLOW SUN (2013)
This is the crown jewel. Directed by Biyi Bandele and based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel, Half of a Yellow Sun is one of the most sophisticated Nollywood productions to date. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Onyeka Onwenu, everyone brought their A-game. The Biafran war backdrop was handled with care and complexity. Sure, the novel went deeper, but the film still managed to retain its soul. The cinematography, the music, the stillness of certain scenes, it was art. Pure art.
Let’s be real, Nollywood in the 2010s was all about trial and error. Some films felt like they were made on vibes, but these ten? These ones actually mattered. They did something. They left something behind. Whether it was in the storytelling, the performances, or just the way they made people shut up and watch, they did what needed to be done.
