By Habeeb Ibrahim
Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has died at the age of 57, his family has announced.
The family confirmed his death in a statement shared on his official Instagram page in the early hours of Friday, October 23, 2026.
“We, the family of Francis Duru, regret to announce his passing following a brief illness,” the statement read.
The family expressed appreciation for the prayers and support received, adding, “May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.”
The President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Abubakar Sanusi Yakubu, also confirmed the actor’s death in a Facebook post.
“Another great thespian is gone. Rest in peace, Francis Duru,” Yakubu wrote.
Seun Oloketuyi, founder of the Best of Nollywood Awards, also announced his passing.
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 in 1996, and began his acting career in 1989 with Missing Mark.
He gained wider recognition for his portrayal of Ahanna in the 1995 film Rattlesnake, produced by the late filmmaker Amaka Igwe.
Duru became one of the familiar faces of Nollywood during the industry’s formative home-video era, appearing in productions that reached audiences across Nigeria and beyond.
His death marks the loss of a veteran performer whose career spanned several decades of Nigerian film and television.
