Nollywood Movies Releasing In Cinemas (December 2024) & Box Office Projections
Emeka Chigbo 
The festive season is upon us, and Nollywood fans know that December is synonymous with big-screen magic. Over the years, December has become the prime time for blockbuster movie releases, offering a perfect mix of laughter, drama, and unforgettable storytelling.
With a lineup of highly anticipated movies this December, the excitement is palpable as stars like Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham, Ayo Makun, Mercy Aigbe, and more bring their best to the cinemas.
In this article, we’ll explore the top Nollywood movies hitting cinemas this December, dive into their potential box office performance, and discuss what they mean for the industry.
NOLLYWOOD MOVIES RELEASING IN CINEMAS AND BOX OFFICE PROJECTIONS
1. EVERYBODY LOVES JENIFA
DIRECTOR: Funke Akindele and Tunde Olaoye
CAST: Funke Akindele, Stan Nze, Nancy Isime, Folarin ‘Falz’ Falana, Isaac Olayiwola, Destiny Etiko, Jide Kosoko, D’banj, Juliana Olayode, Chimezie Imo, Jackie Appiah, Bisola Aiyeola, Omowumi Dada, Lateef Adedimeji
GENRE: comedy
SYNOPSIS: A naïve village girl with bad grammar moves to the city for a proper education, despite the challenges she faces. She rises to the top to own her very own hair salon. Everybody Loves Jenifa will reportedly kickoff from where Jenifa’s Diary ended. It would also tackle themes of love, betrayal, and more
WHERE TO WATCH: Everybody loves Jenifa will be released in cinemas nationwide on December 13th
FUNKE AKINDELE’S BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE
| GROSS | % INCREASE IN TICKET SALES FROM PREVIOUS RELEASE |
| ₦636,129,120 | – |
Battle on Buka Street | ₦668,423,056 | 5.08 |
A Tribe Called Judah | ₦1,404,187,806 | 110 |
Funke Akindele has seen a rise in ticket sales every year since she made her debut with Omo Ghetto: The Saga, seeing a massive increase of 110% with her last movie A Tribe Called Judah. Although A Tribe Called Judah saw a drop in attendance from Omo Ghetto’s 449,901 to 374,552 and per reports, if Omo Ghetto: The Saga was released same time as A Tribe Called Judah it would have made around 1.6 billion surpassing the 1.4 billion A Tribe Called Judah made.
But we can also attribute the high attendance for Omo Ghetto: The Saga to the post lockdown influx where people were just itching to leave their houses after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unlike her past 3 movies Everybody Loves Jenifa already has a large fanbase from the popular TV series Jenifa’s diary and should surpass cinema admissions for A Tribe Called Judah, despite rise in cinema tickets we expect ticket admissions to rival or surpass those of Omo Ghetto: The Saga
BOX OFFICE PROJECTIONS FOR EVERYBODY LOVES JENIFA
Ticket admissions: 400,000 – 500,000
Ticket price range: ₦[5,000-7,000]
Opening Weekend: ₦200,000,000
Gross: ₦[2billion – 3.5billion]
2. THE WAITER
DIRECTOR: Toka McBaror
CAST: Ayo Makun, Bucci Franklin, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Shaffy Bello, Deyemi Okanlawon, Regina Daniels, Rahama Sadau, Williams Uchemba, Toke Makinwa, Chris Attoh, Nasiru Lawal, Boma Akpore, Kunle Remi, Brainjotter and more
GENRE: Action-Comedy
SYNOPSIS: The action title tells the story of a waiter who unexpectedly gets caught in the middle of a hotel invasion, leading to a chaotic and thrilling adventure.
Blending the fun world of Nigerian entertainment with a dive into the country’s social and political problems.
WHERE TO WATCH: The Waiter will premiere in Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia cinemas on December 20
AY’S BOX OFFICE PEFORMANCE
MOVIES | YEAR | GROSS | % INCREASE IN TICKET SALES FROM PREVIOUS RELEASE |
30 Days in Atlanta | 2014 | ₦163,351,300 | - |
A Trip to Jamaica | 2016 | ₦180,264,964 | 10.4 |
10 Days in Sun City | 2017 | ₦176,705,669 | -1.97 |
Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons | 2018 | ₦235,628,358 | 33.4 |
Merry Men 2: Another Mission | 2019 | ₦234,505,169 | -0.48 |
Christmas in Miami | 2021 | ₦265,583,000 | 13.3 |
Merry Men 3: Nemesis | 2023 | ₦117,836,230 | -55.6 |
From the table above, it shows AY always has a slight drop in ticket sales before coming back bigger with the next release. In 2023, there was a massive drop in ticket sales that could have also resulted from not releasing in the December window
BOX OFFICE PROJECTIONS FOR THE WAITER
Opening Weekend: ₦30million
Gross: ₦[300 – 400] million
3. ALAKADA! BAD AND BOUJEE
DIRECTOR: Toyin Abraham
CAST: Toyin Abraham, Odunlade Adebola, Broda Shaggi, Bimbo Ademoye, Bimbo Akintola, Chimezie Imo
GENRE: Comedy
SYNOPSIS: Alakada! Bad and Boujee follows the funny adventures of Yetunde (played by Toyin Abraham), a woman who hides her insecurities by making up big lies about her social standing.
WHERE TO WATCH: Alakada! Bad and Boujee premieres in cinemas as from December 20th
TOYIN ABRAHAM’S BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE
MOVIES |
| GROSS | % INCREASE IN TICKET SALES FROM PREVIOUS RELEASE |
Alakada Reloaded | 2017 | ₦74,331,349 | - |
The Ghost and the Tout | 2018 | ₦77,233,105 | 3.9 |
Fate of Alakada: The Party Planner | 2020 | ₦113,226,100 | 46.6 |
The Ghost and the Tout Too | 2021 | ₦134,408,075 | 18.7 |
Ijakumo | 2022 | ₦278,496,384 | 107.2 |
Malaika | 2023 | ₦302,086,925 | 8.4 |
Toyin Abraham has had an increase with every new release with a massive spike of 107.2% coming in 2022 for Ijakumo, it was her first film to gross over 200 million naira. We expect another massive spike considering Alakada is the return of her most popular character ‘Yetunde’. We are looking at a 50% increase that would see Toyin Abraham gross over 400 million naira for the first time
BOX OFFICE PROJECTIONS FOR ALAKADA! BAD AND BOUJEE
Opening Weekend: ₦32million
Gross: ₦450 million
4. THIN LINE
DIRECTOR: Akay Mason
CAST: Mercy Aigbe, Uzor Arukwe, Iyabo Ojo, Daniella Peters, The Cute Abiola, Nkechi Blessing, Uche Montana, Yvonne Jegede
GENRE: Drama
SYNOPSIS: Pastor Raymond (Uzor Arukwe) and his wife Pastor Dammy (Mercy Aigbe) face turmoil when Raymond meets Annie, a desperate prostitute. After Annie is found dead, suspicion falls on Raymond. The search for the killer becomes a battle for Raymond’s soul as he confronts the fallout from a life-changing mistake.
WHERE TO WATCH: Premieres in Cinemas as from December 13th
MERCY AIGBE’S BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE
Mercy Aigbe’s debut at the box office ‘Ada Omo Daddy’ grossed over ₦218 million. An impressive return on her first try. Since there’s no pre-existing data to study her box office growth, we’ll use other factors. Thin Line is a drama, which deviates from the usually successful comedy genre in the December window. It’s also been released on the same day as the film we think would be the highest grossing nollywood movie ever at the end of its cinema run ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa’, that would surely affect its performance.
BOX OFFICE PROJECTIONS FOR THIN LINE
Opening Weekend: ₦15million
Gross: ₦[180 million – 200 million]
5. ONE NIGHT GUEST
DIRECTOR: Peter Sedufia
CAST: Yvonne Okoro, Majid Michel, Warri Pikin, Roselyn Ngissah, Ini Edo, Chidi Mokeme, James Gardiner, Lasisi Elenu, and Akah Nnani
GENRE: Comedy
SYNOPSIS: Nigerian-Ghanaian film that highlights the playful rivalry and enduring unity between the two West African nations.
WHERE TO WATCH: The title will hit the box office on December 25.
BOX OFFICE PROJECTIONS FOR ONE NIGHT GUEST
Opening Weekend: ₦10million
Gross: ₦150 million
POTENTIAL RECORD BREAKING WINDOW
The industry has never seen so many big hitters in one window before. Nollywood is looking at a potential record breaking window in terms of ticket admissions and sales. From all our projections, Nollywood could be looking at making a record 5 billion naira at the box office.
FACTORS THAT AFFECT BOX OFFICE NUMBERS
There are many factors that determine how well a film does at the box office. we will be taking a look at some of this factors from the nollywood perspective.
1. Star Power
The presence of popular actors and directors can significantly influence a film’s success. Big Nollywood names like Funke Akindele, Jade Osiberu, Mercy Johnson, Timini Egbuson, or AY Makun attract loyal fanbases, boosting initial ticket sales. Audiences are often drawn to familiar faces they trust to deliver quality performances.
2. Genre Appeal
Certain genres, like comedy and family dramas, tend to perform better at the box office, especially during festive periods. Films that cater to wide demographics are more likely to attract larger audiences. The top 5 highest grossing nollywood movies of all time are all in the comedy genre
3. Timing of Release
Releasing a film during peak periods like December holidays, Easter or public celebrations ensures higher attendance. Timing also matters in avoiding clashes with other major releases, which could split the audience and reduce revenue.
4. Marketing and Promotion
Aggressive marketing campaigns, including trailers, social media buzz, celebrity endorsements, and press tours, can create awareness and excitement around a film. A strong promotional strategy often directly correlates with box office success. Funke Akindele is currently one of the leading nollywood producers in this instance, she puts in a lot of effort into marketing unlike some of her other nollywood counterparts
5. Audience Word of Mouth
Positive reviews and word of mouth from viewers can make or break a film after its release. Movies that generate good feedback tend to see a boost in sales as more people become curious to watch them. Conversely, negative reviews can hurt performance.
6. Economy
The economy of a country significantly contributes to the cinema culture of that country. The dwindling economy of Nigeria has seen cinema attendance numbers drop drastically. Just five years ago, you could watch movies in cinemas for just 500 naira. Presently, the average ticket price, especially in places like Lagos are as high as 5000 naira.
7. Piracy
Piracy is a significant challenge for Nollywood and severely impacts box office performance. When pirated copies of a film become available shortly after its release, it reduces cinema attendance as audiences opt for cheaper or free alternatives. This illegal distribution not only undermines revenue but also devalues the effort and resources invested in production. Despite Funke Akindele’s A Tribe Called Judah grossing about 1.4 billion naira, reports say that number could have been higher if not for piracy. Kunle Afolayan’s October 1st also suffered from piracy.
8. Accessibility of Cinemas
The number of cinemas and their locations can affect how widely a film is seen. Urban areas with multiple theaters contribute significantly to box office revenue, while rural areas may have limited access to cinemas, reducing potential reach. Nigeria has a significantly low amount of cinemas around the country, most of the cinemas are concentrated in Lagos and some major cities do not have up to three cinemas and some do not have at all.
9. Competition from Other Films
If a movie is released alongside other highly anticipated films, it may struggle to perform well. Nollywood filmmakers often strategically plan releases to avoid competing with blockbuster franchises or international films.
10. Streaming Platforms
The rise of platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and Showmax has changed audience behavior. Some viewers prefer waiting for a film to be available online rather than paying for a cinema ticket, which can impact box office revenue, especially for smaller-budget films.
Noble Akhirome 
Emmanuel Odebiyi 
