Lagos continues to dominate Nigeria’s cinema landscape, contributing more than half of the country’s N14.52 billion box office revenue in 2025, a significant jump from N10.74 billion in 2024, according to data from FilmOne Entertainment.
The commercial hub recorded N7.94 billion in earnings across 41 cinema locations, attracting over 1.28 million ticket sales. While Lagos accounted for more than 50% of total revenue, it represented just 45% of total admissions highlighting the city’s higher ticket prices fueled by premium options like IMAX and its wealthier audience.
Outside Lagos, the “billion-naira club” expanded for the first time.
The Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) generated N1.14 billion from just five cinemas, while Rivers State pulled in N1.03 billion across eight locations.
These figures closely matched their admission numbers, signaling strong and stable demand beyond the nation’s commercial capital.
Smaller markets also posted remarkable growth. Kaduna’s earnings skyrocketed from N26.3 million in 2024 to N81.7 million in 2025, a staggering 210% increase.
Cross River nearly doubled its revenue to N79.5 million, while Osun and Kwara—operating only two to three cinemas each—contributed N331 million and N183 million respectively.
Yet, not all large markets converted screens into revenue. Ogun State, with 12 cinemas, generated just 3.09% of national box office earnings, illustrating that location quality, urban density, and programming strategy often outweigh sheer quantity of screens.
Despite these gains, cinema penetration remains uneven. Fifteen states, including Akwa Ibom and the entire North-East region, still lack a modern cinema facility.
The top 10 states—including Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, Edo, and Oyo—accounted for 88.5% of national revenue, leaving smaller states to rely on lower-priced, volume-driven ticket sales.
FilmOne’s data underscores a maturing Nigerian cinema industry focused on profitability, with premium pricing driving growth.
As emerging markets like Kaduna gain momentum, and Abuja and Rivers flex their billion-naira capacity, the nation’s big-screen industry is gradually extending its reach beyond Lagos.
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