Sixty-five years on, Nigeria’s journey has been anything but smooth. The country still struggles with corruption, economic instability and deep inequalities that leave many on the margins.
And yet, through it all, Nigerians have shown remarkable resilience. As the nation marks its 65th Independence Day on Wednesday, it’s worth reflecting on stories that trace where we’ve been and how far we’ve come.
Nollywood, with its sweeping dramas and intimate character studies, has often taken up this task—capturing history in ways that are both personal and political.
Here are 10 of the best Nollywood films about Nigerian history.
1. Half of a Yellow Sun (2013)
Running time: 1h 53m
Director: Biyi Bandele
Genre: Historical Drama
This adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s book of the same name is a time capsule of the peak of the Biafran War. Privileged twin sisters Olanna (Thandie Newton) and Kainene (Noni Rose) return to Nigeria with fancy degrees from abroad. The romantic Olanna settles into life as a university lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where her lover, Odenigbo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), also teaches. Kainene, on the other hand, moves to Port Harcourt to run her father’s business.
But when the war breaks out, the lives of these women are tested. Everything is on the table, including the bond the sisters share. Beyond the personal drama, the film reflects on the human cost of the Biafran War and Nigeria’s fragile unity. It asks whether love, family, and identity can endure in the face of conflict — a question that continues to echo across Nigeria’s fractured political landscape.
Watch Half of a Yellow Sun on YouTube.
2. October 1 (2014)
Running time: 1 hr 44 mins
Director: Kunle Afolayan
Genre: Historical Drama
A gripping historical thriller set on the eve of Nigeria’s independence, October 1 follows Inspector Danladi Waziri, a northern police officer sent to a quiet town in Western Nigeria to investigate a string of brutal murders. As Nigeria’s independence on October 1, 1960, loomed, Waziri races to solve the case before the nation’s celebratory handover, uncovering dark secrets that threaten to overshadow the new republic.
Directed by Kunle Afolayan, the film mixes political tension and social commentary, perfectly capturing a country on the brink of new change. The cast includes Kehinde Bankole, Kunle Afolayan and Sadiq Daba.
Subscribe to Zikoko Pop newsletter, The Feed, for the most important pop culture news
ALSO READ: The 10 Greatest Nollywood Directors of All Time
3. Invasion 1897 (2014)
Running time: 1h 53m
Director: Izu Ojukwu
Genre: Historical drama
Set during the 1897 British expedition that destroyed the Benin Kingdom, Invasion 1897 centres on Oba Ovonramwen (Olu Jacobs), whose kingdom faces annihilation by foreign forces hungry for power and treasure. The film vividly portrays the political tensions, betrayal, and resistance around the invasion. Charles Inojie and Segun Arinze bring depth to characters caught between loyalty and survival.
This film goes beyond just warfare and tells the story of the shattering of a rich culture, the theft of sacred artefacts, and the resilience of a people fighting to preserve their identity. Invasion 1897 refuses to let this dark episode fade into history, challenging viewers to confront colonialism’s brutal legacy in Nigeria.
Watch Invasion 1897 on Netflix.
4. 1929: Women War (2019)
Running time: 1h 30m
Director: Moses Eskor
Genre: Drama
In 1929: Women War, the women of Ikot Abasi made history when they rose against colonial taxation, challenging both British authority and the local warrant chiefs enforcing it. Sola Sobowale and Ireti Doyle play Mama Miroba and Adiaha Edem, respectively, the main characters. The film raptly captures the grit that fueled the popularly acclaimed women’s war in 1929.
Through gripping performances and in-depth detail, the movie turns a forgotten uprising into a moving reminder of the power of collective resistance. 1929: Women War is a very important story that shines a light on a crucial but often overlooked chapter in Nigerian history.
Watch 1929: Women War on Prime Video.
5. 76 (2016)
Runtime: 1h 58m
Director: Izu Ojukwu
Genre: Historical Drama
After a military captain (Ramsey Nouah) and his pregnant wife (Rita Dominic) refuse an offer from a high-ranking friend (Chidi Mokeme) to join a coup against Head of State Murtala Muhammed, he is accused of complicity and arrested for treason.
The film evokes the fragility of Nigeria’s early post-independence years, when coups and countercoups defined the political landscape. In revisiting this turbulent chapter, it suggests how one violent rupture could send the nation into a spiral — a trajectory that, more than six decades later, still shapes the country’s uneasy search for stability.
6. Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti (2024)
Running time: 1h 31m
Director: Bolanle Austen-Peters
Genre: Drama
In this biopic, Kehinde Bankole stars as Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. It tells the story of the pioneering educator, women’s rights activist, and political leader who challenged colonial rule and patriarchal norms in mid-20th-century Nigeria. The film traces her journey from Abeokuta Grammar School to becoming a fearless advocate for justice, laying the foundation for modern feminist activism in Nigeria.
This film is particularly significant because it brings to life a name we often hear in history books but rarely see in full colour, arriving at a moment when Nigerian audiences are craving stories that reflect their history.
Watch Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti on Prime Video.
7. 93 Days (2016)
Running time: 2h 5m
Director: Steve Gukas
Genre: Drama
93 Days is a gripping retelling of Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola outbreak. The film follows the heroic actions of Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh, played by Bimbo Akintola, and her colleagues, who contained the virus before it could spread throughout Lagos.
With stunning performances from Danny Glover, Somkele Iyamah, Keppy Ekpenyong, and Gideon Okeke, the film captures the courage, sacrifice, and quick thinking that saved millions of Nigerians. It is both a tense medical thriller and a heartfelt tribute to the health workers who put their lives on the line.
8. The Herbert Macaulay Affair (2019)
Running time: 1h 31m
Director: Imoh Umoren
Genre: Drama
Set in early 1920s Lagos during the Bubonic plague, the film follows Herbert Macaulay, a Nigerian nationalist, as he rallies Nigerians to confront their colonial oppressors. The story begins with Macaulay’s return from studying in Plymouth in 1893, when he takes up a surveying job with the colonial administration, which eventually leads him to a life of rebellion.
The story captures Macaulay’s personal battles, political activism, and sacrifices, showing how his leadership helped lay the groundwork for Nigeria’s independence movement. With sharp dialogue and period-accurate settings, the film paints a vivid picture of early 20th-century Nigeria and the struggles faced by those who dared to challenge colonial power.
Watch Herbert Macaulay Affair on YouTube.
9. Hijack ‘93 (2024)
Running time: 1h 26m
Director: Robert O. Peters
Genre: Action
Hijack ‘93 dramatises one of Nigeria’s most audacious real-life events. Set amid the political fallout of the annulled June 12 election, it follows four fearless teenagers who seize a Nigerian Airways flight from Lagos to Abuja, demanding the reinstatement of MKO Abiola.
Fueled by patriotism and youthful audacity, their story proves that sometimes the boldest acts come from believing you can change the world.
10. My Father’s Shadow (2024)
Running time: 1h 34m
Director: Akiola Davides
Genre: Historical Drama
Set against the tumult of Nigeria’s annulled June 12, 1993, election, My Father’s Shadow tells a story of fatherhood caught in the crosshairs of politics. Folarin (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù), a young but often absent father, brings his two sons to Lagos as he struggles to collect months of unpaid wages. In the cramped uncertainty of the city, the boys begin to know the man who so often left them behind, and a fragile bond slowly forms.
But when the election is annulled, plunging the nation into unrest, Folarin is forced to shepherd his children to safety. At its heart, the film is about the private costs of fatherhood in a society where political betrayal repeatedly undercuts the dreams of ordinary families.
My Father’s Shadow is now screening at cinemas nationwide.
ALSO READ: How Tolulope Itegboje Took “Bam Bam” to the Toronto International Film Festival
[ad]