FilmOne Entertainment, Nigeria’s leading film distributor, is on track to hit N15 billion in box office revenue by year’s end, building on a 53 percent surge that has already outpaced all of 2024. With January through October pulling in N11.3 billion, the company sees December’s slate – including heavy hitters from Nollywood and Hollywood – pushing the total past this mark and marking the strongest year for Nigerian cinemas since the pandemic.
Kene Okwuosa, Group CEO of FilmOne, shared these figures at the company’s annual showcase on October 17 in Lagos. “From January to October 2025, the territory box office has grown to N11.3 billion, which has already exceeded the entire year of 2024,” Okwuosa said. “That’s a 53 percent increase in revenue already, and we’re expecting the box office numbers for 2025 to surpass N15 billion.”
This growth isn’t just in numbers – it’s in people showing up. Admissions have reached 2 million so far, a 15 percent jump from last year and the first such rise since COVID-19 disrupted theaters in 2020. Okwuosa credited exhibition partners for leading the charge back to cinemas, but FilmOne’s role stands out. The company holds 72 percent of the market share, with N8 billion in revenue from its releases. Admissions tied to FilmOne titles made up 1.4 million out of the 2 million total admissions so far this year.
“We’re expecting 3 million in admissions,” Okwuosa added. “It will be the first time we cross that threshold by the end of the year since post-COVID. So, we’re really confident.”
For many in the industry, this feels like a turning point. Cinemas, which struggled through lockdowns and economic pressures, are seeing families and fans return. Okwuosa pointed to FilmOne’s sales efforts as a key driver. “I think it is fair to say that we are doing a good job,” he said plainly.
What fueled this? Smart marketing and a mix of films that draw crowds. Take the anime crowd: FilmOne hosted premieres for Demon Slayer in Lagos and Abuja, pulling in fans who packed venues. That push helped the film earn over N170 million – a 1,877 percent leap from the previous anime record in Nigeria. It shows FilmOne’s knack for tapping into niches like anime, which was barely on the radar before.
Hollywood blockbusters also delivered. Premieres for F1, Fantastic Four, and Sinners raked in more than N1.5 billion combined, making Sinners the top-grossing film in Nigeria for 2025 so far with N776 million. These events created buzz, with red carpets and fan meetups that spilled onto social media.
Nollywood held its own, too. Reel Love shattered opening-weekend records for a first-time producer. Ori: The Rebirth leads as the highest-earning Nollywood title this year, at over N419 million. These successes highlight a shift: more investment in promotion is paying off, as local stories compete head-on with imports.
The year 2025 has had more months (6) where box office earnings surpassed N1 billion in revenue. Victoria Ogar, FilmOne’s Head of Distribution, broke down the math. “Our target for the year is N15 billion,” she told BusinessDay. “We’re expecting December box office numbers to hit N4 billion to add to the N11 billion we already have for January to October.”
To reach that, FilmOne is betting on balance – aiming for a 50/50 split between Nollywood and Hollywood revenue. “I think we are going to do 50/50 this year,” Ladun Awobokun, Chief Content Officer, FilmOne, noted. If Nollywood edges out Hollywood, that’s a win. “Nollywood is ours and we’ll keep supporting it.”
December’s lineup could make that happen. Hollywood’s Avatar sequel is a sure bet; the last one brought in N500 million, and FilmOne expects N800 million to N1 billion this time. But Nollywood gets four slots – a first for FilmOne in the festive month. That’s up from past years, spurred by the revenue gains.
Already in theaters is The Herd, directed by Daniel Etim-Effiong, a drama about family and loss that’s drawing steady crowds. Coming soon: Three Cold Dishes, to be released November 7, 2025, produced by Burna Boy, his mother, Bose Ogudu, and Osas Ighodaro, who also stars as the lead cast alongside French and English-speaking actors. The pan-Africa thriller directed by Asurf Oluseyi has musical ties and cross-cultural appeal, perfect for holiday viewers.
For families, Grandpa Must Obey stars Kanayo O. Kanayo in a lighthearted tale of generational clashes. FilmOne slotted it in to ensure variety. “FilmOne has put that in the slate of films in an attempt to make sure that there’s a balance, everyone gets something during the festive period,” Awobokun explained.
Yoruba audiences have Warlord: Olori Ogun by Odunlade Adekola, an epic with action and cultural depth. Then there’s This Is Not A Nollywood Film, directed by Wale Ojo. It brings back veterans Julius Agwu and Hanks Anuku, who haven’t hit the big screens in years. The meta-story pokes at industry tropes while delivering laughs.
Funke Akindele, riding high from Everybody Loves Jenifa‘s N1.8 billion haul, returns with Behind The Scenes on December 12. It’s a comedy about the chaos of filmmaking, expected to pull in her usual fanbase.
On December 19, Toyin Abraham’s Over Sabi Aunty arrives, featuring Mike Ezuruonye and Queen Nwokoye. It’s a rom-com with sharp wit on modern relationships and cultural diversity. Film critics who attended the showcase are expecting this movie to generate more viewers as Abraham steps up her production game on this project.
The buzz peaks with Niyi Akinmolayan’s Colours Of Fire, slated for late December. Social media teasers – vibrant stills and a trailer that got the loudest cheers at the showcase – have fans talking. “The visuals posted on social media handles… show that Nollywood might get more one billion Naira films,” one attendee noted. Akinmolayan, known for effects-heavy films like Lisabi, and Mikolo animation blends grit and color here, promising a visual feast. The movie stars Ighodaro again and Nollywood hunk Uzor Arukwe.
Awobokun, FilmOne’s Chief Content Officer, emphasized audience fit. “Each of these movies targets a specific audience,” she told BusinessDay. “These are four different films, and we are giving value for paying the ticket price. Ticket prices will slightly be higher, but we want to make sure that the 2025 December movie slate becomes a year where the audience gets value for their money.”
This focus on value ties into FilmOne’s bigger strategy: strong partnerships. The company has deals with Disney, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Angel Studios, Empire, Legendary, Lionsgate, and MGM. These let FilmOne bring premium titles to Nigeria while nurturing local talent.
Okwuosa stressed the human side. “At FilmOne, our filmmaker partners are the cornerstone of our success, and we take their vision and creativity extremely seriously,” he said. “I believe we have a responsibility as a platform to support filmmakers to tell the best version of their stories.”
Looking ahead, FilmOne has a slate running into 2026 and early 2027 projects in development. “It is the future planning the industry requires,” Okwuosa added. “We also support the cinema partners to get films to their sites. Our studio partnership… they trust us for a reason; they trust us to be able to be their partners in this market and to allow for their films to be told in the most cinematic and immersive way.
For cinema owners like those at Genesis Cinemas or Filmhouse, this means fuller halls and steadier income. Post-COVID, many theaters closed or scaled back, but 2025’s uptick – driven by better scheduling, and hits like these – has revived hopes
Fans, too, sense the momentum. At the showcase, attendees shared stories of skipping streaming for the theater vibe: the shared laughs, the bass in action scenes, the post-film chats. One young viewer, Omotanwa, an anime enthusiast, said Demon Slayer’s premiere made her and the anime community in Nigeria feel seen – a rare win for non-mainstream tastes.
If December delivers N4 billion, as Ogar predicts, N15 billion becomes reality. That would represent a 30 percent increase from 2024’s total and set a new bar for 2026. As Okwuosa put it, it’s about more than money. It’s about stories finding screens, audiences finding seats, and an industry finding its feet again. In a year that’s tested wallets and patience, Nigerian cinemas are proving they’re worth the trip.
