Family Confirms Death Of Nollywood Actor Francis Duru At 57

According to a report by TVC News and a post on the official Instagram page of Francis Duru on Friday October 23, 2026, the veteran Nollywood actor has died at the age of 57. His family said he passed on after a brief illness, leaving fans and colleagues in mourning.

The family published the statement in the early hours of Friday. In it, they thanked the public for their prayers, love and understanding.

The news comes months after Duru dismissed claims that he was battling a life-threatening illness. In June, a video of him looking frail circulated online, but he replied with his own Instagram video, describing the footage as “fabricated and malicious”.

Born on July 27, 1969, in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State, Duru studied Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt. He began acting in 1989 and became widely known in 1995 as Ahanna in Rattlesnake, produced by the late Amaka Igwe. In 2020, he won Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) at the Best of Nollywood Awards for his work in Mboputa.

Duru married Adokiye in 2003, and they had four children. The family lost one of them, Ifeanyi, in August 2024.

His death comes weeks after the reported passing of veteran actor Olu Jacobs, deepening the sense of loss in Nollywood. TVC News also reported tributes from colleagues, including Kanayo O. Kanayo and Mercy Johnson.

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