🚦Freedom Way: When Startups Collide with State Policy

When the Lagos State government banned motorcycles in 2020, it didn’t just affect mobility — it sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s startup ecosystem. Companies like Gokada, ORide, and MAX were forced to either shut down or rapidly pivot. Some made it. Others didn’t.

That real-world disruption forms the heart of Freedom Way, one of the few Nollywood dramas to authentically reflect the turbulent Nigerian startup scene.

Premiering on July 17, 2025, at Filmhouse Cinemas IMAX Lekki, Freedom Way follows the journey of two co-founders — Themba (a South African) and Tayo (a Nigerian) — as they build and scale a bike-hailing app called EasyGo.

Things go well — until they don’t. A government-enforced motorcycle ban (eerily similar to Lagos’ real-world decision) brings the business to a halt. Riders scatter. Investors back out. And the startup dream unravels into a fast-paced Lagos nightmare.

Directed by Afolabi Olalekan and written/produced by Blessing Uzzi, Freedom Way brilliantly transforms policy and headlines into personal, character-driven drama. The film won the Special Jury Prize at AFRIFF 2024 and claimed Best Movie and Best Writing at the 2025 AMVCAs, earning praise for its raw storytelling and cultural relevance.

If you’re interested in how Nigerian entrepreneurship, innovation, and policy collide — this film is a must-watch.