The Nigerian box office has experienced a substantial upswing, with a staggering N121 million increase in revenue during the month of August 2023, according to data released by the Cinema Association of Nigeria.

National Chairman of the Cinema Association of Nigeria, Opeyemi Ajayi, shared insights on this remarkable surge in box office revenue. He stated, “Patronage at the cinemas in August was quite encouraging, with a total revenue of N603 million from tickets sold across the country in August.” This represents a substantial 25% surge compared to the N482,528,117 recorded in July, as per previous reports.

Ajayi revealed that a noteworthy 212,192 viewers were admitted to cinemas during the period under review, underscoring the exceptional growth in sales and visitor patronage in August compared to figures from the previous month.

Describing August as a splendid month for cinema enthusiasts, Ajayi highlighted the array of captivating movies showcased, including titles like “Akuddaya,” “Meg 2,” “Teenage Mutant Minja,” “A Bag of Trouble,” “Blue Beetle,” “Mikolo,” “The Modern Woman,” “Retribution,” and “Kesari.” He emphasized, “We had total sales of 603,588,722 with 212,192 viewers’ admission. This is an improvement in sales compared to July when we had N482,528,117 total sales.”

Encouraging Nigerians to make regular cinema visits, Ajayi asserted, “We want Nigerians to cultivate the habit of visiting the cinemas; it is a place to be to allay stress and unwind.”

Looking ahead to September, cinema lovers can anticipate a thrilling lineup of movies, including “Equalizer 3,” “A Bag of Trouble,” “Something Like Gold,” “The Nun,” “Mami Wata,” “Kanaani,” “A Haunting in Venice,” “Expendables 4,” “Weekend to Forget,” “The Creator,” and “The Dive and My Big Fat Greek Wedding.”

As if to continue this box office momentum, Nigerian viewers kicked off September with a bang, spending a whopping N76 million to watch movies at the cinema during the first weekend of the month. According to Nigeria’s box office data, movies collectively amassed a cumulative N945,590,673 in revenue between September 1 and 3.

During this weekend, cinemas across the nation offered tickets at a discounted rate of N1000 in honor of National Cinema Day, an occasion that gained recognition in countries like the UK and the USA.

Breaking down the top earners over the weekend, the indigenous Yoruba film “Kesari” secured third place on the top 20-weekend movie list, amassing N11.1 million. The top two spots were claimed by “Equalizer 3” and “Blue Beetle,” which brought in N24 million and N13.4 million, respectively.

Rounding out the fourth and fifth positions were “A Bag of Trouble” (Nollywood) and “Retribution” with N6.5 million and N5.3 million, respectively.

While this cumulative figure represents a minor 3.5% drop compared to the last weekend of August (18th – 24th), which stood at N79.04 million, the Nigerian box office remains vibrant and promising, offering a diverse range of entertainment choices for movie enthusiasts.