Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has died at the age of 57 following a brief illness, his family has announced.
The family announced his death in a statement published on the actor’s 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.
“We appreciate your prayers, love, and understanding. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen,” the statement read.
Duru’s death comes months after he dismissed reports that he was battling a life-threatening illness.
In June, concerns were raised among fans and colleagues after a video showing the actor looking frail circulated on social media.
Reacting to the reports, Duru shared a video on Instagram in which he described the footage as “fabricated and malicious”.
Born on July 27, 1969, in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State, Duru later moved to Nigeria for his university education.
He studied Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996.
Duru began his acting career in 1989 with Missing Mark, a film directed by the late Ndubuisi Oko.
He rose to prominence in 1995 after featuring in Rattlesnake, the action-comedy produced by the late filmmaker Amaka Igwe. He played the character Ahanna in the film.
Over the years, Duru established himself as a respected figure in Nollywood, earning several awards and honours for his contributions to the Nigerian film industry.
He was also named a United Nations ambassador of peace in recognition of his influence on young people.
In 2020, he won the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) award at the Best of Nollywood Awards for his performance in Mboputa.
Duru married his wife, Adokiye, in 2003, and they had four children together.
The family suffered the loss of one of their children, Ifeanyi, in August 2024.
His death adds to the recent losses suffered by the Nigerian film industry, coming weeks after the reported death of veteran actor Olu Jacobs.