Christmas in Lagos: A Festive Nollywood Tale Worth Revisiting
- Sahndra Fon Dufe
- Dec 25, 2025
- 9 min read
Though it dropped last December, Jade Osiberu's vibrant holiday romance deserves its flowers in a sea of formulaic festive films.
As streaming platforms overflow with yet another season of cookie-cutter Christmas movies, where the same Hallmark-lite plot gets retold ten different ways with minor variations, it's worth shining a light on films that bring genuine cultural specificity to the holiday genre. Jade Osiberu’s Christmas in Lagos, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video exactly one year ago, in December 2024, is one such film.
While recent releases like Meet Me Next Christmas (starring Christina Milian and Devale Ellis) and Tyler Perry's Finding Joy have added Black voices to the 2025 holiday lineup, and other African productions like A Danfo Christmas and A Naija Christmas continue building Nollywood's festive catalog, Christmas in Lagos stands out for its unapologetic celebration of Nigerian culture during "Detty December"—the vibrant, chaotic, joyful period when Lagosians living abroad return home for the holidays.
The Film That Almost Got Away
Directed and written by Jade Osiberu (credited as Jadesola Osiberu), Christmas in Lagos represents a significant moment: it's one of Amazon MGM Studios' final Nigerian Originals before the streaming giant's departure from the market, marking the end of an era in its exploration of Nollywood content.
The film weaves together multiple love stories against the backdrop of Lagos' bustling December festivities. Fiyin (Teniola Aladese) has harbored feelings for her best friend Elo for years, only to be devastated when he returns with a surprise fiancée. Gbemi (Rayxia Ojo) finds herself torn between her current boyfriend and an old flame. Meanwhile, London-raised Ivie (Shalom C. Obiago) seeks a wild holiday fling but doesn't count on falling for Ajani (Ladipoe), a delivery driver by day and guitarist by night.
The stellar ensemble also includes Nollywood icons Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD), Shaffy Bello, and Waje, alongside Afrobeats star Ayra Starr making her acting debut.
The Numbers: Mixed Reception, Undeniable Impact
Currently sitting at a 4.5/10 on IMDb (with some individual ratings as low as 3.5), Christmas in Lagos has polarized audiences and critics alike, with top ratings from the US, Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Rotten Tomatoes has yet to post an official Tomatometer score, though audience reactions range from "tourism fiction" to "vibrant, heartwarming celebration."
However, the film's cultural impact tells a different story. It was nominated for six Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards and won for Best Costume Design, a well-deserved recognition given Damola Adeyemi's stunning work showcasing vibrant Nigerian aesthetics throughout the 120-minute runtime.
Some viewers praised it as "a perfect mix of humor and heartfelt moments, with lovable characters and authentic cultural touches," while others critiqued underdeveloped character arcs and an overreliance on romantic tropes. One Letterboxd reviewer noted it's "the first Nigerian film in like four years to not be a crime thriller" and "easily the best shot one in a while," acknowledging Osiberu's pivot from the gritty Gangs of Lagos to something softer and more celebratory.
What Works: Visual Splendor and Sonic Joy
Cinematography That Celebrates Lagos
Jonathan Kyriakou's cinematography captures Lagos in all its festive glory: from the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge to Breeze Beach Club, The Civic Towers, and historic churches. Viewers consistently praised the "amazingly colorful and stylish" production design, with Matthew Yusuf and One House Lighting Crew's work creating a visual feast that showcases both contemporary and traditional aspects of the city.
The costume design by Damola Adeyemi and art direction by Joy Kadiri enhance every frame, making Christmas in Lagos one of the most visually sumptuous Nollywood productions in recent memory.
The Soundtrack: A Love Letter to Nigerian Music
If there's one element that elevates Christmas in Lagos above criticism, it's the music. Composed and produced by legendary Nigerian producer Cobhams Asuquo, the soundtrack is a vibrant tapestry that blends contemporary Afrobeats with timeless holiday classics.
Listen to Music Here
As one IMDb reviewer noted: "Starting from the first scene the songs playing really elevate the vibe and are perfect complements to the story and make the whole film easy to enjoy. There are also several popular Naija artists that cameo and perform throughout."
Standout Tracks Include:
"Fall In Love" by ESUA - The lead single incorporating traditional Nigerian sounds with modern pop
"Only In Lagos" by WurlD and Liya - Capturing the city's unique energy
"Holy Night" by Waje and 121SELAH - A stunning reinterpretation of the Christmas classic
"Me Le Se" by Adekunle Gold
"Feeling" by LADIPOE and buju
"Men Of The South" by Timi Dakolo
"Buga (Lo Lo Lo)" by Kizz Daniel and Tekno
The eight-track EP, released by Lakeshore Records on December 20, 2024, combines Afrobeat, soul, and traditional Christmas melodies. From the rhythmic energy of contemporary hits to the soulful nostalgia of Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson's "Love Mu Adure," the music celebrates Nigeria's diverse musical landscape while enhancing key emotional beats.
Where It Stumbles
The criticism isn't without merit. As one review aptly stated: "For a romantic comedy, the film is light on both comedy and romance. They appear like a mirage in the desert before collapsing back into the status quo."
1. Uneven Narrative and Pacing
Many international holiday rom-coms, such as Love Actually or The Holiday, are praised for their well-structured plots that seamlessly interweave multiple storylines or create engaging romantic arcs. Christmas in Lagos struggles with this fundamental challenge. Some character arcs feel underdeveloped, and the pacing can be inconsistent, with slower scenes detracting from the overall rhythm of the story. The film's 120-minute runtime occasionally drags, particularly in the middle act where momentum stalls just when emotional stakes should be rising. The transitions between the various love stories lack the smooth cohesion needed to make an ensemble piece work. We jump from one couple to another without always understanding why we should care about their particular romantic dilemmas, which prevents the film from fully capturing the cohesive charm of its international counterparts.This observation, however, is not a standalone critique when compared to other Nollywood films’ pacing.
2. Reliance on Romantic Tropes Without Fresh Execution
While romantic comedies often use familiar tropes: the best friend who's secretly in love, the return of an old flame, the unexpected holiday romance, execution matters. Christmas in Lagos leans heavily on predictable romantic setups without offering much in the way of fresh twists or unique storytelling that could elevate the genre within Nollywood.
International rom-coms often reimagine these tropes with depth or subversion, something viewers felt was missing here. The "will-they-won't-they" dynamics resolve in expected ways, and the conflicts feel manufactured rather than organic to the characters' journeys. We've seen these stories before, and the Nigerian setting alone isn't enough to make them feel new. That said, we love the steamy romance and slow burn between Ladipo’s character and the IJGB.
3. Production Value Disparity
Although Nollywood has made great strides in production quality, especially in films like Osiberu's own Gangs of Lagos, there's still a noticeable gap in the technical polish of Christmas in Lagos. While the film does an excellent job capturing Lagos' festive atmosphere through Jonathan Kyriakou's cinematography, certain sequences feel overly polished in ways that detract from the raw, heartfelt emotions the story aims to evoke.
Elements like editing transitions and some visual effects don't always match the finesse of major international productions backed by larger budgets. A few scenes could have benefited from tighter synchronization between the production sound mixing and on-screen visuals, creating occasional disconnects that pull viewers out of emotional moments. That said, the cinematography is exceptional. To me, easily one of the best-lit films I’ve seen from Nollywood in recent times.
4. Cultural Specificity vs. Universal Appeal, and the "Tourism Fiction" Problem
One of Christmas in Lagos' strengths is its unapologetic focus on Nigerian culture and festive traditions. However, this becomes complicated by how the film chooses to represent Lagos and Nigerian life.
One particularly pointed critique noted the film felt like "tourism fiction," reminiscent of "How Nigerians in the Diaspora write about Nigeria" skits. The focus on wealthy returnees (IJGBs: "I Just Got Back"), conspicuous consumption, and materialism: convertibles with tops down in Lagos traffic, endless parties at exclusive venues, expensive weddings—creates a fantasy version of the city that some found alienating (even though these are really things you DO see in Lagos, having lived there for five years, myself.
International holiday rom-coms often strike a balance between cultural specificity and universal appeal, making them accessible to broader audiences while maintaining authenticity. While Christmas in Lagos succeeds in authentically portraying a version of Lagos, it's a very specific, aspirational version that doesn't always resonate with audiences unfamiliar with that particular slice of Nigerian society, or even with Nigerians who don't see their own experiences reflected in the endless luxury on display- and if we’re being candid. Why should it? The film speaks to the specific experience of that class of Lagosians, previously explored in several movies like Bling Lagosian, among others.
Yet even skeptical viewers acknowledged moments of genuine authenticity, like the New Year's church service "segregated by class", a detail that felt genuinely Lagos in its uncomfortable honesty.
5. Light on Both Comedy, Heavy on Romance
For a film billed as a romantic comedy, Christmas in Lagos delivers surprisingly few laugh-out-loud moments or swoon-worthy romantic beats. The comedy often feels muted, relying more on situational awkwardness than sharp wit or genuinely funny dialogue. The romance, meanwhile, was cooked in chemistry and development needed to make audiences truly invested in whether these couples end up together. I was very invested!
The emotional payoffs between the leads were earned because we spent enough quality time with the single couples to understand what made their connections special. However, on the flip side of that, In trying to tell multiple love stories simultaneously, the film spreads itself too thin, leaving each narrative thread feeling incomplete rather than interwoven.
Why It VERY MUCH Matters
Despite its few relative flaws, Christmas in Lagos represents important progress for Nollywood and African holiday cinema more broadly. Here's why it's worth celebrating:
Cultural Authenticity: The film unapologetically centers Nigerian traditions, Pidgin English, and the specific phenomenon of Detty December, offering diaspora audiences a chance to see their experiences reflected on screen.
Production Values: Filmed entirely on location in Lagos from January to March 2024, the movie showcases what Nollywood can achieve with proper resources and planning. The technical execution: from lighting to sound design sets a new standard that Jade in particular does with all her work,
Platform for Nigerian Talent: Beyond established stars, the film provides opportunities for emerging talent and musicians, including Ayra Starr's acting debut and cameos from major Afrobeats artists.
Genre Expansion: In an industry dominated by crime thrillers and dramas, Christmas in Lagos proves there's appetite and market for Nollywood romantic comedies.
In Context: The African Christmas Film Landscape
Christmas in Lagos joins a growing catalog of African holiday films that challenge Hollywood's monopoly on Christmas storytelling. From Kunle Afolayan's A Naija Christmas (Netflix) to A Danfo Christmas and A Wesley South African Christmas, filmmakers across the continent are claiming their space in the holiday genre.
While it may not achieve the finesse of international rom-com classics like Love Actually or The Holiday, it offers something those films can't: an authentic window into how millions of people actually celebrate Christmas, with all the chaos, joy, family drama, and cultural specificity that entails; and in the Hallmark-esque cookie cutter Holiday film era of same-storied films spewed across Netflix, this film is super refreshing.
Final Verdict
Christmas in Lagos is a truly enjoyable film. Its narrative can be uneven, some character arcs feel incomplete, and it occasionally prioritizes aesthetics over emotional depth. But it's a film that wears its heart and its culture proudly on its beautifully costumed sleeve.
In a landscape saturated with interchangeable holiday movies where the only variation is whether the career-driven woman who returns to her small town falls for the local baker or the local carpenter, Christmas in Lagos offers something genuinely different: a celebration of Nigerian identity, a showcase for local talent, and a vibrant portrait of a city at its most festive.
As one American viewer beautifully expressed: "Growing up as an African American, I was exposed to the most horrendous and false images of Africa in school and on TV. I am so happy to see a film that showcases successful African business owners, strong families, and the beauty and opulence of the land."
That alone makes it worth revisiting and worth recommending to anyone seeking holiday films that expand beyond the usual boundaries.
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5) Recommendation: Stream it for the music, the costumes, and the unapologetic celebration of Nigerian culture. Lower your expectations for narrative depth, and you'll find plenty to enjoy.
Where to Watch
Christmas in Lagos is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video globally.
Production Credits
Director/Writer: Jadesola Osiberu
Producer: Eku Edewor, Jade Osiberu
Co-Producer: Maryann Eziekwe
Cinematography: Jonathan Kyriakou
Art Direction: Joy Kadiri
Costume Design: Damola Adeyemi
Music: Cobhams Asuquo
Production Companies: Greoh Studios, Amazon MGM Studios
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