Agbara Nla grosses ₦354.5m as Nile Entertainment dominates box office
The faith-based remake leads a strong weekend for Nile Entertainment, with three of its distributed movies accounting for 58.9 percent of total box-office earnings.
Nollywood faith-based movie Agbara Nla has grossed ₦354.5 million at the Nigerian box office since its cinema release on 1 October, emerging as a major commercial success for its distributors, Nile Entertainment.
The remake of the 33-year-old Christian classic from Mount Zion also recorded an opening weekend gross of US$120,660 in selected cinemas in the United Kingdom and Canada, according to the distributor.
Its performance helped Nile Entertainment secure the top three positions at the Nigerian weekend box office, with Street Fighter and The Other Mummy taking second and third place, respectively. The three titles generated a combined ₦92.61 million, representing 58.9 percent of total weekend box-office earnings, while the distributor’s entire slate accounted for 68 percent.
Nile Entertainment disclosed the figures in a statement on Tuesday, highlighting the commercial performance of the three movies and the different marketing approaches used to reach their audiences.
Agbara Nla, co-produced by Mount Zion Film Productions, Sozo Films and Circuits, earned ₦47.50 million during the reported weekend. Street Fighter followed with ₦36.43 million, while The Other Mummy grossed ₦8.67 million. Both titles entered Nigerian cinemas on 16 October.
The distributor attributed Agbara Nla’s performance to a campaign that drew on the original movie’s longstanding recognition while reaching younger audiences who may not have seen it. According to the company, the campaign included engagement with the Mount Zion community, endorsements from church leaders and online activations.
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These activities reportedly generated more than ₦71 million in advance ticket sales in a single day, pointing to the commercial value of mobilising an established audience ahead of a cinema release.
The movie was also distributed internationally in Europe in partnership with IFEC. Nile Entertainment said its UK release recorded several milestones for Nollywood productions, including the biggest Nollywood release of 2026, the biggest opening weekend for a Nollywood movie, the biggest pre-sales for a Nollywood movie and the biggest-ever faith-based Nollywood movie.
The distributor did not provide further comparative figures in its statement to independently assess those rankings.
While Agbara Nla benefited from its connection to a recognised Christian movie, Nile Entertainment said its campaigns for Street Fighter and The Other Mummy were designed around the interests of their respective audiences.
The company said the three releases reflected its approach of tailoring marketing to each movie’s genre and audience rather than relying on a single promotional formula.
Nile Entertainment General Manager Nowe Segun-Ojo said the results reflected the distribution strategy the company had pursued since beginning operations in August 2024.
“Since commencing operations in August 2024, we have focused on building a distribution business that understands the films it represents and the audiences they serve,” Segun-Ojo said.
He described having three titles occupy the top three positions at the weekend box office as an encouraging milestone for the relatively young company, adding that it intended to build on the results through its partnerships with producers and studios.
The performance highlights the role of distribution and audience engagement in the commercial prospects of Nigerian cinema releases. For Agbara Nla, familiarity with the original movie and a targeted campaign appear to have helped convert audience interest into ticket sales.
