The National Film and Video Censors Board in Nigeria has confirmed the approval and classification of 1,185 films between January and December 2025, comprising of local and foreign film submissions.
This number represents a notable increase compared with 1,088 films classified in 2024, indicating continued growth and high production activity in the film industry.
Industry insights from the classification data
The approved films spanned many genres and languages, highlighting Nollywood’s diversity and vibrancy. English-language productions dominated the approvals, followed by Yoruba and Igbo language films.
Films in Hausa and other indigenous languages appeared less frequently, although languages such as Nupe, Berom and Gbagyi had more representation in certain months.
Foreign-language films (including titles in Hindi, French and Japanese) were also among those classified for distribution.
A significant portion of the films approved were classified under 5 and 18 ratings, suggesting a strong focus on mature-audience content. Family-friendly categories (like G, PG and 12A) were comparatively fewer, pointing to fewer productions primarily aimed at children or general family audiences.
May 2025 stood out with the highest monthly film approvals, totaling 173 titles — a peak in classification activity for the year.
NFVCB has emphasized the importance of promoting greater diversity in film content and encouraging investment in both indigenous-language and family-oriented films.
This proves Nollywood’s expanding output and cultural range, as filmmakers continue to produce a high volume of content across different genres and languages throughout 2025.
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