Liars & Deceivers will tell you that romcoms are dead. If anything, Call of My Life is proof the genre is still alive and kicking. It has everything a romantic comedy should have: adorable awkward moments, a perfect meet-cute, tension that keeps you hooked, and a satisfying happy ending.
If that sounds like your kind of movie, you are in luck. Nollywood is definitely not short of cheesy ass romantic comedies, and we have curated some of the best ones for you on this list.
1. Isoken (2017)
Director: Jadesola Osiberu
Runtime: 1h 38m
Isoken (Dakore Akande) is a young, successful, and intelligent lady in her mid-thirties. Like many Nigerian women in that stage of life, she’s under pressure from family to get married. In the blink of an eye, Isoken goes from getting no men to having to choose between the handsome, husband material Osaze (Joseph Benjamin) and the sweet and unassuming, Caucasian Kevin (Marc Rhys).
2. Call of My Life (2026)
Director: Dammy Twitch
Runtime: 1h 54m
Soluchi (Uzoamaka Power) is a hopeless romantic, the kind of girl who celebrates monthiversaries barely weeks into a relationship and always loves a little too hard. But when her boyfriend, Kalu (Zubby Michael) breaks up with her and she loses her job in the same breath, she retreats into her shell. That is, until she crosses paths with Eli (Andrew Bunting) and has to decide whether she is ready to open her heart and fall in love again.
Call of Life is currently in the cinemas.
3. Flower girl (2013)
Director: Michelle Bello
Runtime: 1h 34m
Kemi (Damilola Adegbite) is a young, impressionable lady dying to get married. When her relationship with Umar (Chris Attoh) begins to go south, she turns to Tunde (Blossom Chukwugekwu), a famous Nollywood movie star, to help her save her relationship by making Umar jealous. Things come to a head when she starts falling for Tunde for real and now has to choose between the two of them.
4. Fine Wine (2021)
Director: Seyi Babatope
Runtime: 2h 10m
Mr Seye George (RMD) falls in love with Kaima (Ego Nwosu), a much younger woman. As their unexpected relationship blossoms, they have to confront opposition from George’s family and harsh judgment from society over their significant age gap. Everyone loves a good age-gap romance. And Fine Wine doesn’t let its viewers down. Watching two people choose each other despite societal judgment will always be a heartfelt story.
5. Namaste Wahala (2020)
Director: Hamisha Daryani Ahuja
Running time: 1h 46m
The movie follows an interracial couple (Ini Dima-Okojie, Ruslaan Mumtaz) who fall in love, only to find their relationship tested by overbearing parents and cultural differences.
Namaste Wahala is intentionally cheesy. The opening scene, for instance, features the couple bumping into each other, followed by the dramatic slow-motion stare Bollywood is famous for. If you love whimsical comedy, you’d love it.
Watch Namaste Wahala on Netflix.
6. Big Love (2023)
Director: Biodun Stephen
Runtime: 1h 35m
Who says you cannot find love during your graduate trainee program at a bank? Big Love follows Adil (Timini Egbuson) and Adina (Bimbo Ademoye) as they reconnect at a bank’s training school years after going their separate ways. As old feelings return and they slowly find their way back to each other, Adina struggles with a secret she has been hiding: she has a daughter.
Watch Big Love on Prime Video.
7. The Royal Hibiscus Hotel (2017)
Director: Ishayo Bako
Runtime: 1h 33m
Ope (Zainab Balogun) is a London-trained chef who abandons her life abroad to return home to her parents’ struggling hotel in Lagos. However, her plans to save the family business are complicated by a scheming sous-chef, a gossipy staff, and a proud father. As if that’s not enough, a handsome investor named Deji (Kenneth Okolie) won’t stop checking into the hotel.
Watch The Royal Hibiscus Hotel on Netflix.
8. Wedding Party (2016)
Director: Kemi Adetiba
Runtime: 1h 45m
In The Wedding Party, everything that can go wrong at a Lagos wedding goes wrong. Dunni ( Adesua Etomi-Wellington) and Dozie (Banky W) are set to tie the knot and live happily ever after. But with warring mothers (Ireti Doyle and Sola Sobowale), a clingy ex and an overambitious planner, the celebration takes a chaotic turn. Admittedly, it sounds super chaotic, but you’d stay for the chemistry between Dunni and Dozie.
Watch Wedding Party on Netflix.
9. Kambili: The Whole 30 Yards (2020)
Director: Kayode Kasum
Runtime: 1h 53m
What do you do when you are almost 30, single, and watching everyone around you move on with their lives? Kambili (Nancy Isime) is carefree and kind of spoilt, but only realises that after her boss (Toyin Abraham) fires her and her boyfriend (Mawuli Gavor) breaks up with her for not being wife material. In a bid to fix her life, and get her man back, she teams up with her friends to create a list of things she needs to change about herself.
Watch Kambili: The Whole 30 Yards on Netflix.
10. When love happens (2014)
Director: Seyi Babatope
Runtime: 1h 49m
When love happens is a classic romcom. The girl who shows up for everyone gets tired of showing up and decides to find her own love. Mo (Weruche Opia) is an events planner who has been sort of unlucky in love and is tired of playing matchmaker for her friends, so she turns to the internet to find her Mr. Right.
Watch When Love Happens on Netflix.
