Nigeria’s cinema industry has recorded its strongest first-quarter performance in six years, with total ticket sales reaching 752,136 in Q1 2026. The figures indicate a steady resurgence in movie-going demand, underscoring the growing popularity of Nollywood productions at local cinemas.
The latest numbers show a notable improvement over 661,720 admissions in Q1 2025 and represent a clear recovery from the lower turnout seen recently. Admissions had fallen to 620,477 in 2023 and 597,061 in 2024, reflecting ongoing adjustments to post-pandemic realities, currency fluctuations, and evolving consumer habits.
Local productions have been central to this growth. Nollywood titles, including Behind The Scenes and Oversabi Aunty, drove audience turnout across major cinema chains, accounting for over 553,000 admissions, or 73.5% of total ticket sales, during the period. This marks the highest first-quarter performance for Nigerian films since 2021, when Nollywood recorded approximately 587,700 admissions during a period of limited Hollywood releases amid the pandemic.
Looking at trends over the past few years, first-quarter admissions were steady at just over 709,800 in both 2021 and 2022 before dipping sharply in 2023 and 2024. The recovery began in 2025 and accelerated in 2026, signalling that the industry is on a more sustainable growth trajectory.
Major box office successes have reinforced Nollywood’s bankability. Toyin Abraham’s Oversabi Aunty crossed the N1 billion mark, while Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes, now available on Netflix, has amassed an estimated N2.7 billion since its release.
Projections suggest Nigeria’s cinema industry could surpass N20 billion in gross box office revenue by the end of 2026. Industry analysts indicate that growth will depend more on effective monetisation, pricing strategies, and disciplined release schedules than the rapid expansion of cinema locations. While admissions are expected to rise gradually from 2.6 million in 2023 to 2.95 million in 2026, revenue is forecast to grow at a faster pace, with box office revenue climbing from N7.36 billion in 2023 to N15.64 billion in 2025.
