Whether you’re Nigerian seeking content that reflects your reality, part of the diaspora maintaining cultural connections, or simply a viewer hungry for fresh, compelling stories from perspectives rarely centred in mainstream media, these five series offer something extraordinary.
So grab your remote, clear your schedule, and prepare for some serious binge-watching.
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Shanty Town (2023)
Shanty Town is a six-part Nigerian crime thriller that follows a group of courtesans attempting to escape the grasp of a notorious kingpin named Scar, but political corruption and blood ties make freedom a near-impossible goal.
Set in the gritty underworld of Lagos, the series exposes the lives of sex workers controlled by a ruthless handler and the dangerous world they inhabit.
The story centres on Shanty Town, a town for drug dealers, prostitutes, and thugs, where crime has its throne. When captives that Scar supposedly sets free are discovered to be missing from existence, some of the Lagos hustlers he’s held captive decide to unite and wage war against him.
If you’re drawn to dark, unflinching crime dramas that don’t sugarcoat harsh realities, Shanty Town is your show.
This isn’t a romanticised view of Lagos; it’s raw, visceral, and sometimes uncomfortable viewing that exposes the brutal intersection of sex work, organised crime, and political corruption.
The series stars Chidi Mokeme, Ini Edo, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Sola Sobowale, Nancy Isime, Shaffy Bello, and Ali Nuhu.
Blood Sisters (2022)
Blood Sisters stars Ini Dima-Okojie and Nancy Isime in the lead, telling the story of two friends, Sarah and Kemi. Bound by a dangerous secret, best friends Sarah and Kemi are forced to go on the run after a wealthy groom “disappears” during his engagement party.
What should be Sarah’s dream wedding to Kola becomes a nightmare when his abusive tendencies surface.
When things spiral out of control and Kola goes missing, Sarah and Kemi find themselves on the run from his powerful family, corrupt police, and the consequences of a secret that could destroy them both.
Blood Sisters was described as the first Nigerian Netflix Original series and was set in Lagos, released on Netflix on May 5, 2022.
It marked a significant moment for Nigerian streaming content, demonstrating that Nollywood could produce series that worked for global audiences while remaining authentically Nigerian.
The cast includes Ramsey Nouah, Kate Henshaw, Wale Ojo, Kehinde Bankole, Deyemi Okanlawon, Gabriel Afolayan, and Tope Tedela.
Òlòtūré & Òlòtūré: The Journey (2019/2024)
Òlòtūré is a 2019 Nigerian crime drama directed by Kenneth Gyang, starring Sharon Ooja, Beverly Osu, Genovevah Umeh and Blossom Chukwujekwu.
The film follows a journalist who goes undercover as a prostitute in Lagos to expose human trafficking, finding a world of exploited women and ruthless violence.
The story is partly based on reporting by Nigerian investigative journalist Tobore Ovuorie, who went undercover in Nigeria’s human trafficking underworld.
Her 2014 report for Premium Times won the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting and provided the foundation for this fictional adaptation.
The series excels in its realistic depiction of those attempting to travel to Europe through the desert, showing the dangerous journey, the exploitation at every stage, and the false promises that keep victims compliant.
Director Kenneth Gyang researched extensively, travelling throughout Europe and absorbing the experiences of Nigerians suffering in exile, being particularly outraged by BBC documentaries about Nigerian women sold and exploited daily to earn passage to Libya.
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Seven Doors (2024)
Seven Doors is a Nigerian drama limited series created by Femi Adebayo for Netflix, set in Ilara, Ondo State, exploring 18th- and 19th-century Nigeria.
This is period drama on an ambitious scale, featuring elaborate costumes, traditional ceremonies, and a story steeped in Yoruba culture and mythology.
Seven Doors tells the story of Adedunjoye, a simple man who loves his wife and children. He was asked to become the King of Ilara Kingdom, but uninterested in the offer, he vehemently refused. After several persuasions, he obliged and became the King, but his ascension was followed by opposition.
Soon after he becomes King, Ilara kingdom begins to experience turmoil and trouble, and after intervention from the chief priest, he was told to open seven doors, representing seven wives to appease the wrongs of his forefathers.
The King refuses, and misfortune continues to plague his kingdom and family, including his daughter’s death.
Femi Adebayo plays King Adedunjoye, with Chioma Akpotha as his Igbo Queen Amaka. The cast also includes Muyiwa Ademola, Hafiz Oyetoro, Jide Kosoko, Kolawole Ajeyemi, Adebayo Salami, Dele Odule, and Gabriel Afolayan.
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Baby Farm (2025)
Nigerian Series You Should Binge Watch on Netflix Read More
