A crime lord with a grip on a slum, a politician with secrets, and women trying to escape the sex trade. Shanty Town, a Nigerian series released on Netflix in January 2023, packed its six episodes with violence, betrayal and familiar Nollywood faces. It became one of the most talked-about African series on the platform that year.
The story and the cast
The series follows Inem, a courtesan played by Nse Ikpe-Etim, who wants to escape the control of Scar, a feared kingpin played by Chidi Mokeme. Her plans draw in other women, police officers and powerful politicians. Mokeme, a veteran Nollywood actor and former TV presenter, returned to the spotlight with his menacing performance as Scar, which became one of the series’ most praised elements.
The series also featured Richard Mofe-Damijo, Ali Nuhu, Zubby Michael, Shaffy Bello, Peter Okoye, Uche Jombo and Nancy Isime, bringing together stars from Nollywood and Kannywood.
Production, rankings and criticism
The series was created by Dimeji Ajibola and produced by Chris Odeh’s company. It was filmed in Lagos. The series appeared in Netflix’s top ten in Nigeria and several other countries. It explores sex trafficking, drug crime, corruption and the links between criminals and politicians. Some critics argued the series relied on violence and stereotypes about Lagos slums. Others praised its ambition and production quality.
The singer Peter Okoye of P-Square made his acting debut in the series, drawing extra attention. The series was part of Netflix’s push into Nigerian originals, following films such as King of Boys: The Return of the King.
Reception, Kannywood stars and styling
Audience response was strong, with debates on social media about its characters and ending. The inclusion of Ali Nuhu, one of the biggest stars of Kannywood, the Hausa-language film industry based in Kano, helped the series reach audiences in northern Nigeria as well as the south. The costumes, sets and lighting gave the series a darker, more cinematic look than many older Nollywood productions, reflecting bigger budgets from streaming platforms.
Its short, six-episode format made it easy to binge-watch. Shanty Town brought many of Nollywood’s biggest names into one dark Lagos story. Its success showed how much appetite there is for Nigerian crime drama on global screens.
