Where do you watch the best Nigerian films in 2026? The answer has changed a lot in two years. Amazon Prime Video stopped funding new African originals in 2024, Showmax closed in April 2026, and Netflix now licenses fewer, safer Nollywood titles. At the same time, YouTube has become a major home for new Nigerian films, and Nollywood-owned services such as Kava have arrived.
This guide lists the best Nigerian movies and series to stream right now, platform by platform, with what each service costs in naira, plus the 2026 cinema hits worth watching when they reach streaming. Watching on your phone? See our guides to MTN data plans and the fastest network in Nigeria.
Last updated: 21 October 2026. Streaming catalogues change every month and some titles are only available in certain countries, so check the app before you subscribe.
The short answer
- Netflix (from ₦2,500 a month) still has the biggest collection of quality Nollywood films, including 2026 additions such as Son of the Soil, Gingerrr and Colours of Fire, and new seasons of Aníkúlápó and Blood Sisters.
- Prime Video (about ₦2,300 a month) has a strong back catalogue, including Funke Akindele’s earlier box-office hits and its own Nigerian originals, but is no longer commissioning new ones.
- Kava (from ₦1,500 to ₦3,000 a month) is a Nollywood-only service from Inkblot Studios and Filmhouse, with comedies, romances and crime films.
- YouTube (free) is where many of the most-watched new Nigerian films now premiere, led by Omoni Oboli’s channel.
How Nollywood streaming changed
From 2020 to 2023, Netflix, Prime Video and Showmax competed hard for Nigerian content, commissioning originals and paying for exclusive films. That boom has cooled:
- Prime Video said in January 2024 that it would stop funding original local content in Africa, though it kept operating here and finished projects already greenlit, such as Breath of Life.
- Showmax shut down on 30 April 2026, with some of its content moving to DStv Stream.
- Netflix is still active, but on narrower terms. It now mostly licenses proven films after their cinema runs, often for African markets only, and releases fewer originals with less marketing.
- YouTube has filled much of the gap. Omoni Oboli’s channel, launched in December 2023, passed 2 million subscribers and was named YouTube Nigeria’s top creator channel of 2025. Her film Love in Every Word drew about 15 million views in its first week.
- Nollywood-owned platforms have launched: Kava in August 2025, alongside EbonyLife ON Plus and rental service Circuits.
For viewers, this means good Nigerian films are spread across more places than before, and the cheapest option is often free.
Best Nigerian movies on Netflix
These films are widely recommended and available on Netflix in Nigeria:
- Son of the Soil (2025): an action thriller about a former soldier who returns to Nigeria to find his sister’s killers. Added in March 2026.
- The One for Sarah (2022): a romantic drama with Beverly Naya, Uzor Arukwe and Bimbo Ademoye about a woman caught between new love and a dangerous ex.
- Adire (2023): a woman who has left city life starts a lingerie business in a small town and attracts unwanted attention.
- Thin Line (2024): Akay Mason’s thriller about a pastor whose secret affair turns deadly.
- Nimbe (2019): a gentle boy escapes a toxic home and is drawn into drugs and crime on the streets.
- A Lagos Love Story (2025): an event planner trying to save her family home has to manage an Afrobeats star.
- Glamour Girls (2022): a glossy remake of the 1990s classic about the dangerous world of Lagos escorts.
- Ile Owo (2022): a romance with a billionaire hides a dark family covenant.
- Blood Vessel (2023): Moses Inwang’s survival drama about six young men who stow away on a ship carrying stolen crude oil.
- Sanitation Day (2021): a dark comedy-thriller set in a Lagos neighbourhood locked down after a body turns up during the monthly clean-up.
New to Netflix in 2026: Gingerrr (added in May after earning about ₦500 million in cinemas), King of Thieves and its sequel from Femi Adebayo, Niyi Akinmolayan’s Colours of Fire (August), and Funke Akindele’s Behind the Scenes. Netflix also released second seasons of Kunle Afolayan’s Aníkúlápó and EbonyLife’s Blood Sisters in 2026.
Best Nigerian series to binge
- Aníkúlápó: Rise of the Spectre (Netflix): Kunle Afolayan’s Yoruba-language fantasy epic, with a second season in 2026.
- Blood Sisters (Netflix): EbonyLife’s crime thriller about two friends on the run after a wedding goes wrong; season 2 arrived in 2026.
- Seven Doors (Netflix): Femi Adebayo’s Yoruba-language drama about a king trying to break a curse.
- Far from Home (Netflix): a teen drama about a talented boy from a poor family who wins a scholarship to an elite school.
Best Nigerian content on Prime Video
Prime Video is cheaper than most Netflix plans and holds some of the biggest Nollywood box-office hits of recent years, because Funke Akindele’s films went there before Behind the Scenes moved to Netflix. Look for her films, Prime’s Nigerian originals such as Gangs of Lagos and Breath of Life, and a large library of licensed comedies and romances. Because Prime is no longer commissioning African originals, expect fewer big new Nigerian releases there than on Netflix.
Kava, EbonyLife ON Plus and Circuits
Kava, launched in August 2025 by Inkblot Studios and Filmhouse Group, is a Nollywood-only app for phones, smart TVs and laptops, with downloads for offline viewing. It launched with titles such as Alakada: Bad and Boujee, Owambe Thieves, What About Us?, House Job and Queen Lateefah, and sorts films into sections such as Gbas Gbos and Comedy, I Go Love O and Juju and Supernatural. Some titles that are on Netflix in Africa are only available to Kava subscribers abroad.
EbonyLife ON Plus (₦1,500 a month) carries EbonyLife’s own films and series. Circuits lets you rent single films for 24 or 48 hours instead of subscribing, which suits viewers who only want one or two new releases a month.
Best free Nigerian movies on YouTube
YouTube now hosts some of the most-watched Nigerian films of the past two years, uploaded directly by producers to their own channels:
- Love in Every Word (Omoni Oboli TV): about 15 million views in its first week in March 2025 and around 30 million by the end of the year.
- My Crazy Rich Girlfriend: more than 19 million views.
- Head of House: more than 6 million views.
Free YouTube films come with adverts, and quality varies more than on paid services, but the best channels now match streaming-level production. YouTube Premium (about ₦1,700 a month) removes ads and allows downloads.
2026 Nollywood films to watch for
Several of the year’s best-reviewed Nigerian films have not yet reached the big streamers. In Zikoko’s mid-year ranking of 2026’s best Nollywood films, the top picks included Dammy Twitch’s romantic comedy Call of My Life and Mildred Okwo’s On Different Grounds (both in cinemas at the time), Joel Kachi Benson’s documentary Mothers of Chibok, and Aba Blues, which is streaming on Kava. Films usually reach streaming three to six months after their cinema run.
How much streaming costs in Nigeria
| Service | Monthly price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix Mobile | ₦2,500 | Watching on one phone or tablet |
| Netflix Basic | ₦4,000 | One screen, any device |
| Netflix Standard | ₦6,500 | Two screens in HD |
| Netflix Premium | ₦8,500 | Four screens, best quality |
| Prime Video | about ₦2,300 | Cheaper all-round option |
| Kava | ₦1,500 to ₦3,000 | Nollywood only |
| EbonyLife ON Plus | ₦1,500 | EbonyLife titles |
| Circuits | Pay per film | Renting one or two new films |
| YouTube | Free (Premium about ₦1,700) | Free new releases |
Netflix has raised Nigerian prices several times since 2024, most recently in July 2025, so check the app for the current rate. To save money, rotate subscriptions: take one service for a month, watch what you want, cancel and move to the next.
Tips for streaming in Nigeria
- Download on Wi-Fi. Netflix, Prime Video and Kava let you download films to watch offline, which saves mobile data.
- Lower the video quality in the app’s settings if you are on mobile data. A film in HD can use several gigabytes.
- Pay with a card that works online, or a reputable virtual dollar card if your naira card is declined.
- Avoid pirate download sites. They are full of malware and fake buttons, and piracy is one of the biggest threats to Nollywood’s income.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Nigerian movie on Netflix right now?
Popular picks include Son of the Soil, The One for Sarah, Thin Line, Blood Vessel and A Lagos Love Story, plus 2026 additions such as Gingerrr and Colours of Fire.
Is Showmax still available in Nigeria?
No. Showmax shut down on 30 April 2026. Some of its content moved to DStv Stream.
Does Prime Video still make Nigerian movies?
No new originals. Prime Video stopped funding African originals in 2024 but still streams Nigerian films and its earlier originals in Nigeria.
Where can I watch Nigerian movies for free?
On YouTube, where many producers now release new films directly, and on ad-supported services such as Mansa.
How much is Netflix in Nigeria?
From ₦2,500 a month for the Mobile plan to ₦8,500 for Premium.
Sources
- Zikoko: The 10 best Nollywood movies on Netflix (September 2026)
- Zikoko: The 10 best Nollywood movies of 2026 so far (June 2026)
- What Kept Me Up: Netflix Nigeria in 2026 (August 2026)
- What Kept Me Up: Prices of streaming services in Nigeria (updated September 2026)
- What Kept Me Up: Nollywood titles on Kava at launch (September 2025)
- Africa Is a Country: Old Nollywood 2.0 (October 2026)
- Zikoko: Prime Video stays in Africa but stops funding original content (January 2024)
- Nairametrics: Netflix raises Nigerian prices, Premium now ₦8,500 (June 2025)
