Nollywood’s got a serious foothold on Netflix, serving up a wild mix of series that swing from gritty crime dramas, mythic epics, sharp comedies, and heartfelt dramas. Fueled by Netflix’s investment, these originals blend cultural specificity with universal appeal, showcasing local talent, ambitious production values, and narratives that challenge stereotypes while embracing Nigeria’s vibrant creative pulse. From precolonial kingdoms to modern Lagos hustle, these shows tackle themes like power, betrayal, identity, and resilience, offering something for every viewer.

Here’s what each series is, when it dropped, and why it matters. You might as well add some to your watch

To Kill a Monkey (2025)

To Kill a Monkey follows Efemini’s slide into cybercrime, grappling with moral and dangerous fallout. Premiering on Netflix in July 2025, To Kill a Monkey, directed by Kemi Adetiba, tracks Efemini, a young man lured into the high-stakes world of cybercrime in Lagos, where quick cash comes with steep moral and physical costs. Led by William Benson and Bucci Franklin, the series weaves a tense narrative of ambition, betrayal, and redemption, set against Nigeria’s booming tech scene.

Its slow burn pacing and sharp dialogue capture the paranoia of digital scams, while Efemini’s personal struggles ground the story in human stakes. The show’s sleek visuals and pulsing soundtrack amplify its modern edge, though some tropes feel familiar. It matters for its timely dive into Nigeria’s cyber culture, exposing the allure and dangers of fast money in a connected world. If you’re into modern crime stories, this one’s worth checking out.

Baby Farm (2025)

Baby Farm, directed by Kayode Kasum and produced by Mo Abudu, premiered on Netflix on March 21, 2025, tackling the grim reality of baby trafficking in Nigeria. The series follows Adanna, a pregnant woman abandoned by her boyfriend and shunned by her family, who flees to Lagos and entrusts her unborn twins to the Evans Foundation, an NGO masking a sinister baby farm operation. Weaving in Cherise, an actress grappling with infertility, and Joy, an investigative journalist exposing the truth, the story delivers a tense exploration of deception and resilience.

Its stark visuals and strong performances, including Onyinye Odokoro, amplify its unflinching social commentary. This series stands out for pushing Nollywood’s boundaries, sparking vital conversations about systemic exploitation. If raw crime dramas with social commentary are your thing, it’s a bold choice.

The Party (2025)

A posh Lagos birthday bash turns deadly in The Party, a whodunit where everyone’s a suspect. Dropped on Netflix in May 2025, starring Kunle Remi and Kehinde Bankole, the series blends high-society glamour with suspense, unraveling secrets of wealth, envy, and betrayal. Its polished cinematography and sharp character dynamics elevate the drama, though some mystery tropes feel familiar. The show’s strength lies in its portrayal of Lagos’s elite, exposing the fragility of status and trust beneath the glitz. It’s a flashy, fun watch that hooks you with its twists and cultural nuance, perfect for thriller fans craving Nigerian flair. It’s stylish but leans on familiar mystery tropes. If you love high-society thrillers, this one’s a fun, flashy watch.

Seven Doors (2024)

Set in a fictional precolonial Yoruba kingdom, Seven Doors follows Prince Adedunjoye, a reluctant heir forced to confront his legacy when a divine prophecy presents him with a series of metaphysical trials. Each door he opens leads to a new test, some rooted in history, others in myth, all tied to the fate of his people. The series takes big creative risks, combining folklore with psychological horror and political allegory. Its use of language, costuming, and spatial design crafts an immersive world that pulls directly from cultural memory. It’s a genre experiment that treats spirituality and tradition as architecture for dramatic tension. The series leans into allegory and folklore, embracing a mythic tone rarely attempted at this scale.

Inside Life (2024)

Inside Life, directed by Clarence Peters, is a gritty Nigerian series set in the chaotic underbelly of Lagos. It interweaves the backstories of prisoners in a Lagos jail, exposing societal ills like police brutality, human trafficking, and ritualistic practices through characters like a desperate man, a devoted sister, and an ambitious woman. The series uses raw cinematography and intense pacing to mirror the instability of its world, with Gift Ndah leading a strong ensemble cast. Its unflinching portrayal of systemic dysfunction and personal survival makes it a bold addition to Nollywood’s Netflix slate. Inside Life matters for its raw, character-driven exploration of Lagos’s harsh realities, blending personal drama with social critique.

Ólòtūré: The Journey (2024)

Oloture: The Journey is a six-part series that continues the harrowing story of Òlòtūré, the 2019 film directed by Kenneth Gyang and produced by EbonyLife Studios. The series follows undercover journalist Òlòtūré (Sharon Ooja) after she is trafficked across borders in the aftermath of her infiltration into Nigeria’s human trafficking underworld. Unlike the film’s confined intensity, the series unfolds across multiple geographies and narrative layers, exploring corruption, complicity, and the emotional cost of bearing witness.  

With each episode charting her passage through exploitation, violence, and survival, the series shifts settings from Nigeria to North Africa and finally Europe, deepening its critique of global complicity in trafficking networks. Visually raw and emotionally searing, Oloture: The Journey expands the cinematic universe of the original film while maintaining its investigative intensity. While some viewers questioned the creative liberties taken, especially in pacing and character arcs, the series was largely lauded for its bold storytelling and its refusal to sanitise difficult truths.

Last Year Single (2024)

Dropped on Netflix in September 2024, Last Year Single is a lightweight comedy-drama following a young woman navigating love, career, and self-discovery in Lagos’s fast-paced urban scene. Starring Omoni Oboli and Bimbo Ademoye, the series blends sharp wit with relatable struggles, capturing the highs and lows of modern Nigerian life. Its breezy tone and colorful visuals make it an easy binge, though its lighter themes don’t dig as deep as other Nollywood dramas. The show shines in its authentic portrayal of the pressures of balancing romance with ambition. It’s a fun, accessible watch that resonates with anyone chasing dreams in a bustling city.

Ololade (2024)

Ololade is a character-driven dramedy that follows Shina and Lateef, two long-time friends who stumble into sudden wealth under suspicious circumstances. Initially framed as a story of underdog triumph, the show slowly reveals the toll of deception, class pressure, and the fragility of ambition. Created by Adeniyi Joseph Omobulejo (Niyi Johnson), the series blends satirical humour with stark realism. What starts with impulsive joy turns into a slow burn of secrets and moral rot.

Anikulapo: Rise of the Sceptre (2024)

Set in a pre-colonial Yoruba kingdom, this fantasy epic builds on the world introduced in Kunle Afolayan’s 2022 feature Aníkúlápó. This series continues its folkloric world through a longer, serialized form. Set in the mythical Oyo empire, the show follows Saro (played by Kunle Remi) as he navigates power, betrayal, and fate after being resurrected from death. The series deepens the original’s exploration of ambition, destiny, and divine retribution, now enhanced by more elaborate worldbuilding, costuming, and visual effects.

While some critics pointed to its uneven pacing and episodic sprawl, Rise of the Sceptre marks a significant step in genre expansion within Nigerian television blending epic fantasy with Yoruba mythology for a local audience with global streaming access. With lavish set design and steeped mythology, it reclaims fantasy as a space for African histories.

The tight episode structure, stylised visuals, and deliberate tonal shifts allow the story to move from light-hearted to tragic without losing narrative focus. It’s a compact but layered commentary on Lagos hustle culture, and the limits of loyalty when money enters the room.

Postcards (2024)

An experimental short-form anthology focused on migration, identity, and memory. Each self-contained episode presents a vignette: people in motion, reflecting on who they were and where they’re going. Postcards is a Netflix original romantic drama series created by Hamisha Daryani Ahuja, the filmmaker behind Namaste Wahala. This cross-cultural story follows two main characters, one Nigerian, one Indian, who form a deep connection through an unexpected exchange of handwritten postcards.

Filmed across Lagos and Mumbai, Postcards uses location as an emotional and narrative device, visually contrasting the vibrancy and constraints of both worlds. With its warm cinematography, bilingual dialogue, and an emphasis on written intimacy in a digital age, the series offers a refreshing take on long-distance romance. While it occasionally leans into cliché, Postcards stands out for its sincerity and global-minded storytelling.

The Plan (2023)

The Plan centers on three friends whose loyalty cracks after hiding stolen gold, spiraling into lies and betrayal. Premiering on Netflix in February 2023, and starring Rahama Sadau and Rosaline Meurer, the series delivers a gripping human-driven drama set against Nigeria’s underworld. Its  raw performances highlight the cost of greed and broken trust, though some themes echo familiar crime stories. The show’s strength lies in its character focus, using intimate moments to reveal the emotional toll of their choices.

It’s a compelling watch that captures the stakes of friendship under pressure, perfect for fans of morally complex thrillers. If you’re into human-driven stories about trust gone wrong, this one’s a quick, effective watch.

Shanty Town (2023)

A crime thriller set deep within Lagos’s shadow economy. It centres on a group of sex workers led by Scar (Chidi Mokeme), a charismatic yet ruthless kingpin, and the women determined to escape his control. Created by Xavier Ighorodje and Chichi Nworah, the series explores how systems of trafficking, poverty, and impunity entrench themselves in everyday life. Its use of intense colour grading, abrupt violence, and high-stakes pacing mirrors the instability of its world.

The ensemble cast including Ini Edo, Nancy Isime, and Nse Ikpe-Etim, delivers heightened performances that don’t trade complexity for spectacle. What makes Shanty Town stand out is its refusal to sanitise its setting. It leans into discomfort, even when it’s messy. It’s unpolished in the best way: urgent, angry, alive.

Far From Home (2022)

This five-part drama centres on Ishaya, a gifted young artist from Lagos’s working-class outskirts, who gains a scholarship to an elite private school. The promise of a better life quickly unravels as he is pulled into a web of blackmail, fraud, and social double-dealing. While marketed as teen drama, Far From Home builds a sharp critique of class stratification, aspirational culture, and the pressure to perform identity.

The show leans into its genre roots like romance, betrayal, secrets, but its standout feature is how it overlays style with substance. The production is slick, the performances tight, and the emotional stakes grounded. It’s aspirational TV that doesn’t forget its edge.

Becoming Abi (2021)

Becoming Abi tags along with Abi, a young creative navigating her dream gig at a Lagos ad agency, inspired by real-life hustle. Dropped on Netflix in October 2022, the film stars Bolu Essien. This sitcom blends sharp humor with relatable insights into ambition and workplace dynamics. Its breezy tone and depiction of Lagos’s creative scene make it a crowd-pleaser, though it leans lighter than deeper Nollywood dramas. The series shines in capturing the grind and glamour of chasing dreams in a competitive city. It’s fun and relatable but doesn’t dig too deep. If you’re after a light comedy about chasing dreams in the city, it’s a breezy watch, perfect for a chill weekend.

King of Boys: The Return of the King (2021)

Kemi Adetiba’s return to the King of Boys universe took a sharp left turn, not a feature-length sequel but a limited series that unpacks the rise of Eniola Salami into political power. Here, Eniola Salami returns from exile to rebuild her political empire. But Lagos has changed, and her enemies have multiplied. Now operating in the public sphere, Eniola navigates a Lagos governed by perception, influence, and quiet brutality.

The series expands the King of Boys film’s themes into a slow-burn, power-heavy chess match, full of betrayal, manipulation, and Yoruba theatricality. It reshaped how cinematic storytelling could function in Nigerian television. The show uses monologues and political drama to deepen its world. Sola Sobowale anchors the series with a performance steeped in volatility, dignity, and menace. Adetiba retains her maximalist style: large scenes, tight closeups, lyrical pacing, but tightens her focus around character psychology. This isn’t a simple redemption arc. It’s a dissection of power as performance.

Blood Sisters (2022)

In Blood Sisters, a wedding turns into a manhunt after the groom goes missing and the bride and her best friend flee. Directed by Biyi Bandele and Kenneth Gyang. As Sarah (Ini Dima-Okojie) and Kemi (Nancy Isime) navigate media frenzy and family secrets, the series moves through high-society Lagos, backstreets, and backroom deals. What makes it effective is its balancing act, emotionally intimate, but paced like a thriller. The series makes smart use of fashion and architecture as markers of power, using surface beauty to expose hidden violence. Blood Sisters marked one of Netflix’s most visible Nigerian entries globally, and it built that visibility with strong character framing and clean visual storytelling. The series balances thriller mechanics with character depth and elevated production design.

WAR: Wrath and Revenge (2022)

A woman hunts the truth behind her mother’s murder, stepping into a chain of revenge, cover-ups, and long-buried secrets. WAR is a spin-off from Sons of the Caliphate, and it picks up in the aftermath of palace betrayal. The show focuses on Binta, whose political savvy and maternal instincts are tested as she enters the fray of dynastic power play in Northern Nigeria. Written and produced by Dimbo and Karachi Atiya, the series layers traditional hierarchy with modern strategic manipulation. It draws from the aesthetic of palace drama: grand halls, veiled threats, arranged marriages, but anchors it in emotional complexity. The dialogue leans into formal Hausa-inflected English, reinforcing the regional identity. It’s not subtle, but it’s purposeful in how it builds tension around the private costs of public ambition.

Castle and Castle (2021)

A married couple runs a high-powered law firm in Lagos while navigating infidelity, legal rivalries, and family strain. Legal cases form the structure, but emotional fallout powers the momentum. It’s character-first, emotionally tense, and still the only true Nigerian legal drama of its kind. As Nigeria’s first major legal drama, Castle & Castle occupies a unique space in the TV landscape. The show revolves around Remi and Tega Castle, a married couple and law partners grappling with high-stakes litigation and internal power struggles.

Played by Dakore Egbuson-Akande and Richard Mofe-Damijo, their dynamic reflects the push and pull between legal ethics, ambition, and emotional betrayal. Season two expands its focus to younger associates, complicating the generational and moral lines within the firm. The series smartly blends procedural courtroom cases with intimate character arcs, using each case as a pressure point. Its value lies not in legal novelty, but in how it reframes law as a space for emotional and social negotiation.

Dere: An African Tale (2017)

Picture a Lagos-style Cinderella. Dere: An African Tale follows a young woman battling to save her father’s company after a family tragedy upends her life. Starring Weruche Opia and Ireti Doyle, the series blends Yoruba-infused romance with corporate scheming, delivering heartfelt drama with a cultural edge. Its soap opera vibes may feel old-school, but the emotional stakes and strong performances keep it engaging. The show’s strength lies in its fusion of family loyalty and business intrigue, reflecting Nigeria’s blend of tradition and ambition. It’s a solid pick for fans of emotional dramas with a touch of corporate power play, though it leans on familiar tropes. If you’re into emotional family dramas with a cultural kick, it’s worth a look, though don’t expect groundbreaking twists.

The Governor (2016)

The Governor, which landed on Netflix in 2020, stars Caroline Chikezie as Angela Ochello, a new governor thrust into Nigeria’s cutthroat political arena after a tragic event. The series dives into the tension between power and sacrifice, exploring governance, corruption, and personal loss in a male-dominated system. Its writing and intense performances highlight Angela’s struggle to balance leadership with family ties, though the pacing can slow for those not drawn to political intrigue. The show offers a window into Nigeria’s complex power dynamics, grounded in cultural and regional nuances. It’s a must-watch for fans of governance dramas craving insight into systemic challenges, with a focus on resilience and moral stakes, though it’s more educational than flashy.

These series highlight a significant shift in how Nigerian stories reach audiences through streaming platforms. With deliberate investments and creative leadership from local filmmakers, Netflix is building a portfolio that combines ambition, diversity, and cultural specificity. This body of work reveals where the industry is heading and invites viewers to engage critically and attentively with these emerging narratives.

Which of these Netflix Series is your favourite? Let’s know in the comment section.