By Annette Ikponmwonba | August 20, 2026
KEYPOINTS
- Nigerian filmmakers are calling for government support for the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in Nollywood.
- ASIRI ILU AWON OSU (Mystery of Osu Land), Parts 1 and 2, was produced using a hybrid model combining AI and human creativity.
- The creators say about 80 per cent of the film’s visuals were AI-generated.
- The more-than-three-hour Yoruba-language sci-fi film was developed between June and September 2025.
- Guinness World Records declined the filmmakers’ application for a proposed AI-human filmmaking category.
- The creators plan to pursue a global release, with the film expected to debut on major streaming platforms.
MAIN STORY
Nigerian filmmakers and stakeholders in the creative industry have called on the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for the adoption of emerging technologies in Nollywood following the completion of a Yoruba language feature film produced substantially with artificial intelligence.
ASIRI ILU AWON OSU (Mystery of Osu Land), Parts 1 and 2, is a sci-fi epic co-created by Mysterious Tech Studio and Yoruba Nollywood actress Tanwa Hameed, popularly known as Asake Omogbajumo, The project, completed in Ibadan, Oyo State, represents an ambitious experiment in combining artificial intelligence with conventional filmmaking and Yoruba storytelling.
The creators describe the production as the world’s first photorealistic and longest Yoruba feature film powered by AI. Running for more than three hours, the film was produced through a hybrid approach in which approximately 80 per cent of the visuals were generated using advanced AI tools, while human direction and live-action performances accounted for the remaining 20 per cent.
The project was developed over three months between June and September 2025 and tells a science-fiction story centred on society, power and humanity, while drawing extensively from Yoruba culture and the broader African cultural experience, The filmmakers said the production demonstrated how AI could help reduce some of the financial and logistical barriers associated with filmmaking, particularly for independent filmmakers operating without large production budgets, sophisticated equipment and extensive crews.
They are now urging the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to support innovation, improve digital infrastructure and establish policies that will allow filmmakers to explore AI responsibly, The creators stressed that AI was not intended to replace actors, directors or other creative professionals. Instead, they said the technology should serve as an additional tool that complements human creativity and expands the possibilities available to filmmakers.
THE ISSUES
The growing use of AI in filmmaking presents both opportunities and challenges for Nigeria’s creative industry, For independent filmmakers, AI could lower production costs, reduce dependence on expensive equipment and enable small teams to create visual effects and cinematic environments that would traditionally require large crews and significant financial resources.
However, the technology also raises questions around intellectual property, consent, copyright, performers’ rights, employment and the ethical use of AI-generated content, For Nollywood, the challenge will be finding a balance between technological innovation and protecting the human creative workforce that has built the industry, There is also a broader infrastructure challenge. Access to reliable electricity, high-speed internet, computing resources and specialised AI skills will determine how widely the technology can be adopted by Nigerian filmmakers.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
The filmmakers argue that AI should be viewed as a tool for expanding creative possibilities rather than replacing human talent, They said the project demonstrates that Nigerian filmmakers can combine emerging technology with indigenous storytelling without losing cultural identity, The creators are also calling for government policies that encourage experimentation while establishing appropriate safeguards around the responsible use of AI.
On the Guinness World Records application, the filmmakers said the rejection was administrative rather than a rejection of the film itself. The organisation declined the application on January 27, 2026, after a three-month review because the proposed category for the longest cinematic film co-created by AI and a human director had not been formally established, “The title rejection does not change reality. The film exists. It was completed. And it was done first,” the filmmakers said in a joint statement.
WHAT’S NEXT
Mysterious Tech Studio plans to proceed with the global release of ASIRI ILU AWON OSU, targeting members of the public, film critics, researchers and technology innovators, The film is expected to debut on major streaming platforms, potentially giving the project an opportunity to reach audiences beyond Nigeria and showcase the use of AI in African storytelling.
Beyond the film itself, attention is likely to shift towards how regulators, filmmakers and other creative-industry stakeholders respond to the growing role of AI in Nigeria’s entertainment sector, The development could also intensify discussions around AI regulation, copyright protection, digital infrastructure and skills development within Nollywood.
BOTTOM LINE
AI is beginning to move from an experimental technology to a potential production tool within Nigeria’s film industry. ASIRI ILU AWON OSU demonstrates how AI-generated visuals can be combined with human direction, performance and indigenous storytelling to produce ambitious projects at potentially lower costs, For Nigeria to fully benefit from the technology, however, filmmakers argue that government support, infrastructure, skills development and clear rules for responsible AI adoption will be essential.
