Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has died at the age of 57 following a brief illness, his family has announced.
The family disclosed his death in a statement shared on the actor’s official Instagram page in the early hours of Friday, October 23, 2026, while appealing for prayers and understanding.
Duru, who was born on July 27, 1969, began his acting career in 1989 and gained widespread recognition in 1995 for his role as Ahanna in Rattlesnake, produced by the late filmmaker Amaka Igwe.
He studied Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt, graduating in 1996, and went on to build a successful career spanning several decades.
In June 2026, the actor dismissed reports that he was battling a life-threatening illness, describing a viral video showing him looking frail as “fabricated and malicious”.
Throughout his career, Duru received several awards and honours, including the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) award at the 2020 Best of Nollywood Awards for his performance in Mboputa. He was also named a United Nations ambassador of peace.
He married his wife, Adokiye, in 2003, and they had four children together. The family lost one of their children, Ifeanyi, in August 2024.
Duru’s death marks another loss for the Nigerian film industry, following reports of the death of veteran actor Olu Jacobs weeks earlier.
He will be remembered for his contributions to Nollywood and his decades-long career in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
