The National Film and Video Censors Board approved and classified a total of 1,185 films between January and December 2025, reflecting continued expansion in Nigeria’s film industry.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by Mr Ogbonna Onwumere, Director of Corporate Affairs of the NFVCB, and monitored by 9News Nigeria.
The figure represents an increase from the 1,088 films classified in 2024, a growth Onwumere attributed to sustained activity and rising participation within the Nigerian film ecosystem.
According to him, the uptick underscores the resilience of the industry and a steady level of engagement by filmmakers and distributors nationwide.
The approved titles spanned a broad mix of genres and languages, highlighting both the vibrancy of local productions and the consistent submission of foreign-language films for classification in Nigeria.
Onwumere noted that English-language films dominated approvals in 2025, reinforcing their stronghold in the country’s film production space.
”Yoruba and Igbo films followed, while Hausa and other indigenous Nigerian language films appeared less frequently,” he said.
He, however, pointed out a notable rise in linguistic diversity during the year, particularly in September 2025, when films in indigenous languages such as Nupe, Berom and Gbagyi were more prominently represented.
He described the development as a reflection of Nigeria’s cultural richness, adding that foreign-language films, including productions in Hindi, French and Japanese, also received classification approval during the period.
”In terms of audience ratings, data revealed a strong concentration of films classified under 15 and 18 ratings across all months, suggesting that most of the films approved in 2025 were targeted at mature audiences.
”Family-friendly classifications such as G, PG and 12A were comparatively fewer, pointing to limited production of children’s and general-audience content,” he said.
A monthly analysis of the approvals showed that May 2025 recorded the highest number of classified films, with 173 titles, indicating a peak period for film submissions.
Reaffirming the board’s regulatory and developmental role, Onwumere said the NFVCB remains committed to fostering diversity and inclusivity within the industry.
He disclosed that, in line with the Executive Director’s vision for enhanced cultural representation, the board would continue to encourage greater investment in family-friendly productions and broader use of indigenous Nigerian languages.
As part of efforts to boost non-dominant local languages in film, he added that the NFVCB has reduced classification fees for films produced in indigenous languages outside Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa, aimed at lowering barriers for emerging filmmakers and promoting cultural preservation.
