Tucked between the glossy world of mainstream Nollywood and the gritty edges of Nigeria’s indie cinema lies a genre often pushed to the margins: horror. In the 1990s and early 2000s, it thrived with cult classics like Living in Bondage, Blood Money, and Nneka the Pretty Serpent, films that rooted their terror in distinctly Nigerian themes: ancestral curses, spiritual consequences, and the wages of greed. These stories reflected cultural beliefs and fears, offering viewers thrills and cautionary tales tied to local traditions. Yet, as the industry evolved, the Nigerian horror perspective faded from prominence, seemingly forgotten by audiences and filmmakers alike.
“The goal is to make horror films that do more than scare, they should make people think,” Ann Aligwe, founder of the African International Horror Film Festival, told Culture Custodian last year.
This selection of independent Nigerian short horror films proves the genre isn’t dead. Works like Who Dies Next skillfully blend contemporary jump scares with traditional Nollywood ritual horror elements. Each horror short featured here has been meticulously selected not just for its ability to terrify, but for its storytelling prowess and distinctive directorial vision, proof that Nigerian horror’s beating heart remains strong, even in the shadows.
Nkemakonam
Written and directed by the visionary duo Dika Ofoma and Ugochukwu Onuoha, Nkemakonam is about childbirth, infused with supernatural elements and cultural symbolism. The short follows a young woman cast out by her community after conceiving a child out of wedlock, only to give birth on a sacred day reserved for traditional rites. Her transgression awakens a terrifying masquerade spirit, determined to claim the newborn as its own.
In just nine minutes, Nkemakonam constructs a story that lingers after the screen fades to the credits. The film resists easy answers, leaving viewers to wonder: Who is the force behind the masquerade? Is it divine punishment or ancestral wrath? And in the end, did mother and child survive the encounter, or merely delay the inevitable?
Ndidi-Betty Agbo delivers a riveting performance as the unnamed protagonist. Through her expressive postures and haunted eyes, she captures the terror and fierce resolve of a woman fighting forces.
Who Dies Next
A corpse lies sprawled outside a house party. Within the house, five characters remain: one frantic to convince the others that they’re trapped in a real-life horror film, another recording their impending doom. Who Dies Next blends satire with fright, delivering comic beats, jump scares, and a loving nod to the ritual-heavy Nollywood classics popularized by the likes of Kanayo O. Kanayo.
Writer-director Nduka Dike stages the chaos in a single, unbroken take, a technical feat that amplifies the film’s tension and pace. As with the best horror, fear itself becomes fatal; the more terrified a character appears, the more certain their death.
The film features Madam Koikoi’s Chuks Joseph and Ichie Fuego, among others. Their performances are authentic in a genre experiment that could have easily leaned too far into concept. Instead, Who Dies Next becomes something sharper: a darkly funny dissection of horror tropes, reimagined through a distinctly Nigerian lens.
Enyo
Winner of last year’s S16 Festival Viewers’ Choice Award, Enyo (Reflections) captivates with its psychological depth and supernatural edge. The story centers on a couple who attempts to salvage their relationship. During their secluded getaway, they encounter a memorable couple with an eerie presence.
Writer-director Nneoha Ann Aligwe crafts a layered meditation on intimacy and identity, using reflections as a visual device and the film’s emotional spine. The film also captivated audiences at the Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt. More than a ghost story, Enyo is a reflection of how we fracture, within ourselves and alongside the ones we love.
Dreams
Chioma Paul-Dike wrote and directed Dreams, an 18-minute descent into psychological terror. The film follows an expectant mother (Onyinye Odokoro) whose move to her husband’s ancestral home unleashes a series of eerie visitations. At the center of these encounters is a wrathful presence, issuing a chilling ultimatum: leave, or face the consequences.
Paul-Dike deftly fuses traditional spiritual lore with contemporary horror aesthetics. The film has been screened in many film festivals, including the 2023 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF). Dreams cemented Paul-Dike’s arrival as a new voice in African horror and laid the groundwork for her forthcoming feature debut, Oblation, which began production in January.
Ounje Ale
Ounje Ale means “Night Food,” a simple title for a film that retells a chilling African folktale. This short reimagines the tale of a wrongfully condemned school caterer who, after being lynched for allegedly poisoning a student, returns from the grave to resume her culinary duties. But her midnight meals, served to unsuspecting boarding school girls, carry intentions far more sinister than nourishment.
Directed by Ozor Uche, Ounjẹ Alẹ transforms a traditional cautionary myth into a story on injustice and vengeance. Uche masterfully employs shadow, silence, and stillness to create dread, while the story itself confronts the consequences of collective haste to punish the innocent.
Critically acclaimed on the festival circuit, Ounje Ale has garnered major accolades at the Inshort Film Festival, Real-Time Film Festival, and the African International Horror Film Festival. Its blend of cultural specificity and cinematic craft earned it a nomination for Best Short Film at the 8th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA).
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