Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has died at the age of 57 following a brief illness.
His family announced the death in a statement posted on his official Instagram page in the early hours of Friday, October 23, 2026:
“We, the family of Francis Duru, regret to announce his passing2nd following a brief illness. We appreciate your prayers, love, and understanding. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.”
The news was also confirmed by the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Abubakar Sanusi Yakubu, and by BON Awards founder Seun Oloketuyi.
Francis Duru was born on July 27, 1969, in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State. He studied Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt, graduating with a BA in 1996
He then made his film debut in Missing Mark in 1989 directed by the late Ndubuisi Oko
His Nollywood breakthrough came as the character Ahanna in Rattlesnake (1995), a movie produced by the late Amaka Igwe
Francis Durunnotable films include:
Blood Money (1997), _Stigma (2013), Mboputa (2020), Blood Vessel (2023), Abigail’s Memoir (2024)
He won the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) at the 2020 Best of Nollywood Awards for Mboputa; received the United Nations Ambassador of Peace award in 2007. He also served as interim president of the AGN in 2010 and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Africa Movie Academy Awards that same year
His death comes months after he dismissed viral reports in June that he was battling a life-threatening illness, describing the frail-looking footage circulating online as “fabricated and malicious.
He is survived by his wife, Adokiye (whom he married in 2003), and their children. The family lost their 15-year-old son, Ifeanyi in August 2024.
