The Nigerian box office has expanded steadily in recent years. With the momentum of the so-called “new Nollywood” and a growing cinema-going culture, this trajectory has become increasingly evident despite prevailing economic pressures.
Local titles have driven much of this growth. Since Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), the industry has reset its all-time box office record three times, each with Nollywood productions backed by Funke Akindele. A Tribe Called Judah first crossed the ₦1 billion mark, followed by Everybody Loves Jenifa, before Behind the Scenes set a new benchmark.
New data now confirms that the first quarter of 2026 is the strongest post-COVID period for Nigerian cinemas in terms of ticket sales, also known as admissions.
This outcome had been anticipated. From late 2025 to March 16, 2026, Nollywood titles maintained the number one position at the weekly box office, a streak not seen since the December 2020 to March 2021 window when Omo Ghetto: The Saga, Ponzi, and The Razz Guy collectively held the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks.
Momentum accelerated in February 2026. Behind the Scenes crossed the ₦2 billion mark, while Oversabi Aunty became the first Nollywood title outside Funke Akindele’s productions to gross over ₦1 billion. At the same time, James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash concluded its run as the tenth-highest-grossing film of all time in Nigeria, earning ₦645 million.
Between January 1 and March 31, 2026, the box office recorded 752,136 admissions. This represents a 13.67% increase from 661,720 admissions in Q1 2025, which itself was up 10.83% from the 597,061 admissions recorded in Q1 2024.
Nollywood accounted for 553,000 admissions, representing over 73.5% of total ticket sales. This marks the industry’s strongest Q1 performance since 2022, when local films contributed 587,700 out of 709,803 admissions, or approximately 82.8%. The figures suggest a recovery from the dip recorded between 2023 and 2024.
In terms of individual titles, Behind the Scenes led the quarter with over 243,000 admissions, roughly 67% of Everybody Loves Jenifa’s total theatrical run. It was followed by Oversabi Aunty (120,000), Love and New Notes (55,000), and Crime 101 (21,000).
These numbers highlight a key industry insight. Admissions, rather than gross revenue, offer a more accurate measure of growth. With inflation driving ticket prices upward, revenue figures alone can overstate expansion. Admissions provide a clearer picture of audience turnout and engagement with cinema culture.
For Q1 2026, the highest-grossing films were:
- Behind the Scenes — ₦1.6 billion
- Oversabi Aunty — ₦787 million
- Love and New Notes — ₦384.4 million
- Crime 101 — ₦151 million
- Onobiren — ₦103 million
The top Nollywood films by all-time admissions are:
- Behind the Scenes — 466,206
- Omo Ghetto: The Saga — 449,901
- The Wedding Party — 401,668
- A Tribe Called Judah — 375,965
- Everybody Loves Jenifa — 368,741
- The Wedding Party 2: Destination Dubai — 340,390
- Chief Daddy — 320,182
- Battle on Buka Street — 259,752
- King of Boys — 234,968
- Sugar Rush — 229,060
The highest-grossing films of all time in Nigeria as of April 5, 2026 are:
- Behind the Scenes (2025) — ₦2.53 billion
- Everybody Loves Jenifa (2024) — ₦1.88 billion
- A Tribe Called Judah (2023) — ₦1.40 billion
- Oversabi Aunty (2025) — ₦1.08 billion
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) — ₦1.04 billion
- Black Panther (2018) — ₦818 million
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) — ₦750 million
- Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) — ₦706 million
- Battle on Buka Street (2022) — ₦668 million
- Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) — ₦645.5 million
The highest-grossing foreign films in Nigeria as of April 5, 2026 include:
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) — ₦1.04 billion
- Black Panther (2018) — ₦818.1 million
- Sinners (2025) — ₦775.8 million
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) — ₦750.2 million
- Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) — ₦706.7 million
- Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) — ₦645.5 million
- Mufasa: The Lion King (2024) — ₦623 million
- Avengers: Endgame (2019) — ₦528 million
- Superman (2025) — ₦493 million
- Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024) — ₦488 million
- The Woman King (2022) — ₦462 million
