The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) declared that it approved and classified 304 films between January and April 2026.

In a statement, Director of Film Censorship and Classification at the board, Deborah Malgwi, said that the figure represented an increase from the 267 films classified during the same period in 2025.

Classification data released by the board shows that January 2026 recorded the highest number of approvals with 102 films, 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.

The statistics also showed that English-language productions dominated the industry with 201 films classified within the period under review. Igbo-language productions accounted for 44 films, while Yoruba recorded 42. Hindi films stood at nine, Hausa productions accounted for five, while Bini-language films recorded three classifications.

Further analysis indicated that most productions fell within the “15” and “18” age categories, reflecting prevailing themes in contemporary film productions.

•Alexx Ekubo

Popular Nollywood actor Alexx Ekubo has died at the age of 40 after a prolonged battle with cancer.

According to The Sun Nigeria, family sources said the actor passed away on Monday, May 11, 2026, following months of illness.

Alexx Ekubo’s absence from the public eye had raised concerns among fans and colleagues, as he had stayed away from social media for an extended period.

The actor’s last social media post was made in December 2024, shortly after news broke that his engagement had been called off.

Known for his versatility on screen and widely admired for his striking looks, Ekubo built a successful career in Nollywood, featuring in numerous hit films and television productions.

• * Queen Mercy Atang in her dress made of bread: Credit BBC/ Gift Ufuoma

Here’s a look at some of the most talked-about appearances and moments from the 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) in Nigeria with dramatic trains, sculptural gowns, shimmering fabrics and heavily theatrical designs that once again transformed the event from an awards show into a spectacle of style held at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos.

The annual ceremony celebrates achievements in African film, television and digital storytelling, while also serving as one of the continent’s biggest cultural showcases where celebrities compete for being best-dressed, as much as they do for awards.

The red carpet turns into a bakery

Reality TV star Queen Mercy Atang arrived in one of the evening’s most attention-grabbing looks, a dress made from more than 500 loaves of bread, she said.

Surrounded by two maidens carrying trays of bread, several assistants helping carry the outfit across the carpet, Atang struggled to move freely.

Speaking to the BBC, she said that the outfit was designed to promote her bread-baking business and insisted the appearance was intentional marketing rather than shock value.

“What other place is better to advertise my business than the AMVCA?” she said.

The dress was designed by the iconic Toyin Lawan of Tiannah’s Empire, who commented on Instagram that she’s beginning a trend of “everyone wear your business”.

The look immediately became one of the night’s biggest social media talking points.

Some social media fans hailed the design describing it as “a true definition of carrying your business on the head”.

However, not all fans were impressed. Some said the display represented a waste of food, a suggestion the reality TV star rejected.