Examining the Construction of Femininity and Masculinity in Nigerian Nollywood Films

Nollywood, as the world's second largest film industry by volume, wields extraordinary influence on gender norm formation and contestation across Nigeria and the broader African diaspora. This study examines the construction of femininity and masculinity in contemporary Nollywood films produced between 2020 and 2024, analysing representations in romance, drama, and family genre films. A feminist cultural analysis design was employed, applying critical discourse analysis to a systematic sample of 60 films selected across three genre categories. A gender representation coding framework was applied to character portrayals, dialogue patterns, narrative resolutions, and power dynamics. Findings reveal that Nollywood continues to predominantly represent women as defined by their relational roles (wives, mothers, and daughters), with professional and leadership identities secondary and often undermined by narrative resolution. Men are consistently constructed as breadwinners and ultimate decision-makers even in films centred on female protagonists. However, a significant sub-genre of feminist Nollywood, driven by female directors and streaming platform productions, demonstrates markedly different gender constructions challenging dominant narratives. Class and urban-rural setting significantly moderate gender representation patterns. This study makes an original contribution to African feminist media studies by systematically analysing contemporary Nollywood gender constructions using rigorous coding methodology. Keywords: Nollywood, gender representation, femininity, masculinity, Nigeria