Nollywood is known for its love stories, high‑energy dramas and fast‑paced thrillers, but not often for movies that imagine what life might look like after nuclear fallout, in worlds shaped by science and speculation, or where magic and technology collide. For many years, big budget constraints and limited access to special effects made science fiction feel out of reach for Nigerian cinema. 

Yet a handful of filmmakers refused to accept that limit and pushed the boundaries of storytelling in ways that are unmistakably Nigerian. Some of these films found audiences at festivals, won awards that matter to filmmakers and critics, and connected Nigerian themes with speculative ideas that challenge the familiar.

Kajola: Kajola is one of the earliest science fiction‑style films to emerge from Nigeria with a notable production premise. When it premiered in 2010, it was billed as one of the most expensive films ever made in the country at the time, with a reported production budget of around ₦130 million, and it positioned itself as a futuristic story set in the year 2059, imagining a divided Lagos shaped by civil conflict and technological change. 

The film’s imaginative premise was ambitious for Nollywood, even if its reception was mixed, and for many, it remains an early example of Nigerian filmmakers trying to do something different in a space dominated by genre cinema abroad.

Ojuju: Ojuju took a different yet compelling approach to speculative filmmaking by blending science fiction elements with horror. Directed by C. J. Obasi, the film centres on a mysterious infection that begins spreading through contaminated water in a Lagos suburb, triggering mutations and social breakdown. 

While not a traditional space or robot science fiction, the film uses its speculative premise to explore fear, contagion and survival in a way that feels eerily close to reality. Its impact was recognised on the festival circuit when it won Best Nigerian Film at the Africa International Film Festival in 2014, beating several mainstream contenders and earning praise for its creativity and execution on a low budget.

Hello, Rain: Hello, Rain stands out as one of the more internationally visible Nigerian sci-fi-inspired works. Directed by C. J. Obasi and based on a short story by Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Award‑winning author Nnedi Okorafor, the 30-minute film blends speculative science with fantasy themes. 

It premiered on major international short film platforms and was showcased at festivals such as the Oscar‑qualifying International Short Film Festival Oberhausen and others, where it gained attention for its imaginative world‑building and thematic boldness.

Ratnik: Ratnik is one of Nigeria’s first serious science fiction action films, written and directed by Dimeji Ajibola. When it premiered in December 2020, it featured ambitious visual effects, including 3D modelling, digital compositing and animation, which were rare for Nollywood productions at the time. The story follows Sarah Bello, a soldier returning from World War III, who must rescue her sister from the dangers of a chemical mutation while confronting futuristic war machines threatening her community. 

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With a reported production budget of around US$500,000, the film was notable for its scale, technical ambition and blend of dystopian storytelling with local Nigerian contexts. Ratnik earned recognition at the 2020 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, winning Best Art Director and Best Costume Design, highlighting the growing capacity of Nigerian filmmakers to explore genre cinema with professional polish.

Day of Destiny: While not always grouped with the other titles above, Day of Destiny deserves mention as one of Nigeria’s clearer attempts at science fiction adventure. Directed by Akay Mason and Abosi Ogba, it was released in 2021 and centres on a time travel story about two brothers who travel back two decades to change their fortunes. 

The film was notable for being described as Nigeria’s first family adventure time‑traveller movie, a claim that highlights how rare this kind of narrative has been in Nollywood, and it grossed over ₦18 million at the domestic box office, demonstrating that Nigerian audiences could connect with sci‑fi adventure when it is rooted in relatable characters and stakes.

Cynthia Nwanonyiri