Lagos led Nigeria’s box office with ₦5.8 billion in revenue, generating more revenue than all other regions combined.
The South-South emerged as the strongest market outside Lagos, contributing ₦2.1 billion, nearly 50% more than the South-West.
Abuja outperformed all three northern zones combined, earning ₦852 million, which is nearly four times their total revenue.
Cinema penetration in northern Nigeria remains weak, with the North-East contributing only ₦2.4 million—less than 0.05% of the national total, highlighting a significant gap in cinema infrastructure and audience engagement.
Nigeria alone holds 89% of all cinema locations and 92% of all screens in the region.
Ghana is the second-largest market but has only seven locations and 18 screens, significantly trailing behind Nigeria.
Sierra Leone has four cinema locations and eight screens, while Liberia has just one location with two screens, highlighting the limited cinema infrastructure in both countries.
The overwhelming concentration of cinema infrastructure in Nigeria reflects its established film industry and audience demand.
Nigeria's cinema distribution is strikingly uneven, with Lagos emerging as the undisputed hub, housing 114 out of the country's 206 cinemas. This means more than half (54.8%) of Nigeria's cinemas are in Lagos alone. This dominance highlights the state's strong cultural, economic, and entertainment appeal, making it the go-to destination for film enthusiasts and industry players.
Beyond Lagos, Abuja follows distantly with 17 cinemas, constituting 8.2% of the total. States like Edo, Kano, Delta, and Anambra collectively hold significant numbers but remain far behind Lagos. Interestingly, only 18 states are home to cinemas.
Cinemas provide consumers with entertainment outside their homes, allowing them to watch the latest blockbusters with friends on a large screen. They also help movie producers get their films in front of thousands of people.
In Nigeria, independent cinemas form the largest group, with names recognisable mostly within the towns where they exist. However, cinema chains are growing. Filmhouse Cinemas has 12 locations in five states, while Genesis Cinemas operates in six states, albeit with fewer locations than Filmhouse Cinemas. Unlike the other top five, Kada Cinemas has no cinemas in Lagos.
The Nigerian movie industry, mainly financed via public or private funding and international grants, produces the most films in Africa, yearly. Nigeria produced more than double the number of films that the Ghanaian and Kenyan movie industries produce annually.
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