The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has classified and approved 304 films between January and April 2026. This approval indicates the growing activities in Nigeria’s film industry and increased local content production, according to Deborah Malgwi, Director of Film Censorship and Classification, who spoke in a statement yesterday.
Malgwi stated that the figure represents an increase from the 267 films classified during the same period in 2025. The data shows that January 2026 recorded the highest number of film classifications with 102 approvals, followed by 83 in February, 77 in March, and 42 in April. In comparison, the board classified 25 films in January 2025, 58 in February, 114 in March, and 70 in April of the same year.
A further breakdown of the language distribution reveals that English-language productions dominate the industry with 201 films. Igbo films follow with 44 productions, while Yoruba accounts for 42 films. Hindi films stand at nine, Hausa records five, and Bini productions account for three films.
Further analysis shows that most of the productions are rated within the “15” and “18” age categories, reflecting prevailing themes in contemporary film productions. According to the classification statistics, 10 films received “G” ratings, 16 were classified as “PG”, while 18 films fell under the “12/12A” category. Additionally, a total of 157 films received “15” ratings, while 103 films were classified as “18.”
Malgwi said the agency remains committed to promoting responsible storytelling, professionalism, and the sustainable growth of the Nigerian film industry in line with national values and international best practices. She noted that the rise in classification activities reflects the resilience and expanding capacity of Nigeria’s creative industry, especially in local content production and distribution.
She also stressed that film classification is an important regulatory mechanism aimed at protecting children and vulnerable audiences from unsuitable content, while providing viewing guidance to parents, guardians, and the public. The director further commended filmmakers, producers, and other stakeholders in the industry for their continued cooperation and compliance with the board’s regulatory framework.
