Alive Till Dawn, directed by Sulaiman Ogegbe and co-produced by Uzor Arukwe, is a 105-minute Nigerian zombie thriller released in cinemas on January 30, 2026. Sunshine Rosman stars as Alex, a police officer’s daughter thrust into survival during a viral outbreak. Michael Dappa plays Isaac, a hyper-dramatic ex-prisoner ally, and Uzor Arukwe is Badu, the domineering ex-convict leader.
The film claims to be Nigeria’s first major box-office zombie apocalypse story, drawing from polluted water origins and urban chaos in Abuja. It tries to weave local issues like environmental neglect into a classic siege setup, but slow pacing, weak characters, and heavy reliance on plot armour keep it from landing with real bite.
Alive Till Dawn
Directed by: Sulaiman Ogegbe
Written by: Daisy Olowu
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Released on: January 29, 2025 (Cinemas)
Language: English
A Fresh Genre Attempt Rooted in Real Crisis
The film opens with a clear nod to Nigerian realities: workers dump a hazardous material into a water body, followed by a UNICEF intertitle stating 117,000 children die yearly from water-related illness: the highest globally. This sets up a zombie outbreak tied to pollution, a smart way to ground Western horror in local social concern.
The story then shifts to Abuja, where the virus spreads rapidly through the city. A group of survivors including cops, civilians, and a few shady characters, barricade themselves inside a rundown police station, turning it into their last stronghold against the undead horde outside. The narrative is largely contained to this siege location, focusing on dwindling supplies, internal conflicts, moral dilemmas (who gets sacrificed, who gets let in), and the constant threat of infection.
The central figure is Alex (Sunshine Rosman), daughter of a high-ranking police officer, who becomes the primary lens through which the audience experiences the outbreak. Her personal struggles and survival arc dominate the film, with her emotional journey providing the main thread. Supporting characters include Isaac (Michael Dappa), a hyper-dramatic former prisoner who becomes her ally, and Badu (Uzor Arukwe), a domineering ex-convict who proclaims himself leader and undermines collective survival through ego-driven decisions.
The group faces repeated threats from both the zombies outside and tensions within. The plot follows their attempts to ration resources, make tough calls, and hold the station against the growing horde, while Alex navigates personal loss.
Social Commentary That Starts Strong
Alive Till Dawn is a siege-style zombie thriller that uses the apocalypse as a backdrop to explore survival, loyalty, fear, and systemic failure in a Nigerian context. The opening gesture toward systemic ruin is powerful: polluted rivers, contaminated crops, protests for government aid shown on TV. It starts with a clear social commentary on water pollution and its deadly consequences, particularly for children, grounding the horror in real infrastructural neglect. These moments feel urgent and grounded, echoing real infrastructural failures in Nigeria.
Yet the film quickly shifts focus to the police station and its insulated figures. The police station setting turns the outbreak into a pressure cooker where the real danger often comes from inside: arguments over leadership, rationing, trust, and who deserves to be saved. The everyman world becomes a visual backdrop, the apocalypse treated as a personal drama rather than a societal collapse, leaving the broader commentary feeling half-committed.
The film centres on Alex, whose arc carries the emotional weight. She is burdened by personal loss and becomes the story’s primary vessel for grappling with the chaos. Isaac stands as her ally, bringing passion and a love dynamic that tries to humanise the group. Badu represents ego and dominance, repeatedly insisting zombies aren’t real (a nod to Nigerian scepticism toward Western horror tropes) and making selfish choices that threaten everyone. Thematically, the film gestures toward how corrupt systems and privilege insulate some while exposing others.
Performances That Range From Solid to Stiff
Sunshine Rosman anchors the film as Alex. She carries fear and determination convincingly, especially in moments of personal loss. Her arc gives the story its only real emotional pulse. Michael Dappa brings passion to Isaac, the hyper-dramatic former prisoner who stands up for Alex against Badu. His energy adds some life to the group dynamic, including a love angle that tries to humanise the chaos.
Uzor Arukwe’s Badu should be intimidating, but his exaggerated style and shouting come across as screeching, making the character more comical than threatening.
The ensemble feels archetypal: the strong leader, the funny sidekick, the damsel with little depth beyond surface roles. Dialogue switches awkwardly from pidgin to polished English, breaking immersion and making characters feel inconsistent.
Technical Choices That Show Promise and Limits
Cinematography captures Abuja’s urban sprawl with wide shots of streets and abandoned cars, evoking isolation. Harsh fluorescent lighting in the station flickers during power outages, adding claustrophobia. Quick cuts build suspense in early zombie attacks, and shadowy lighting creates pervasive gloom. Sound design stands out with eerie moans, realistic gunshots, and a score mixing Nigerian percussion with synth tension.
The zombies themselves are convincing in close-ups (makeup and prosthetics shine) showing veiny skin and bloody bites, but feel sluggish and comical in wider shots, more amusing than terrifying. The score and shadowy lighting create mood, but the film sometimes feels slow and talk-heavy, prioritising dialogue and internal drama over action and zombie threat.
But limitations show. Jump scares are overused, losing impact. CGI for larger zombie crowds looks dated, like early 2000s video game renders. Zombies move sluggishly, almost comically, with smeared palm oil for blood that recalls old ritual film makeup. The shaky “zombie” camera adds tension but feels intrusive at times.
Final Thoughts
Alive Till Dawn deserves credit for trying something new in Nollywood horror. Tying a zombie outbreak to water pollution is a clever way to make the genre feel local and urgent. The production team pushed hard to bring this to cinemas, and moments of physical action and zombie makeup show real effort. Yet the film falters where it matters most: the human side. The characters remain flat archetypes, driven purely by plot goals without any real emotional growth or inner change.
Dialogue is stiff and robotic, pacing drags with repetitive talk, and plot armour protects key figures in ways that feel too convenient. The zombies are the best part, but without caring about the people, the stakes feel hollow. For a genre that thrives on emotional connection, this one asks us to follow characters “alive till dawn” without giving us reason to care if they survive.
Verdict
Alive Till Dawn suits viewers curious about Nollywood exploring uncharted territories who can forgive underdeveloped characters and slow pacing. It offers a few heart-racing moments and a fresh local angle, but lacks emotional depth. Ambitious and watchable, it’s a step forward for the genre with plenty of room to grow.
Rating: 2.35/5
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