Data from Nile Media Entertainment Group indicates that between December 20 and 26, 2024, ticket sales reached N1.02 billion, marking a historic high for the Nigerian cinema sector. An announcement from the independent entertainment company celebrated this achievement, stating, “Today, we’re proud to share an incredible milestone: the Nigerian box office has crossed 1 billion Naira in a single week in 2024.”
A detailed analysis of the week’s performance showed that December 26 emerged as the highest-grossing day in box office history, with ticket sales amounting to N256.4 million. On that day, over 47,500 tickets were sold, ranking it as the third-highest sales day, following 55,449 tickets sold on December 26, 2019, and 52,563 on December 26, 2018.
“Everybody Loves Jenifa” maintained its remarkable success, becoming the first film to earn over N100 million in a single day, eclipsing its prior record of N89.8 million. Throughout the week, four films surpassed N25 million in daily sales, five exceeded N15 million, six reached N10 million, and eight crossed N5 million.
According to industry data from the Nigerian Box Office X page, the week’s ticket sales were led by “Everybody Loves Jenifa,” which generated N426.9 million, followed by Mufasa with N173 million, “Alakada: B&B” with N127.3 million, “The Waiter” with N104.2 million, and “Moana 2” with N52.7 million.
These impressive sales occurred despite rising living costs in a nation facing record-high inflation of 34.6 percent as of November. Nile Media emphasized that the N1.02 billion figure showcases the passion, creativity, and resilience of the film industry.
“It is proof that our stories matter, that audiences are eager to connect, and that together, we can achieve greatness,” it stated.
Funke Akindele’s film, “Everyone Loves Jenifa,” is leading the way in a remarkable box office performance. As of December 26, the film has recorded a total of 153,800 ticket sales and generated N782.8 million within just 14 days. It is poised to exceed the N1 billion naira threshold in a shorter timeframe than her previous hit, “A Tribe Called Judah,” which reached that milestone in 21 days.
Notably, this film has become the fastest Nollywood production to achieve N500 million, accomplishing this feat in only 12 days. Given its current trajectory, Akindele anticipates that the film could ultimately reach N5 billion in total box office earnings.
The film's success is not limited to Nigeria, as it has also garnered $100,000 during its opening weekend across nine international markets, including the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. This marks a significant achievement, as it is the first time a Nollywood film has secured such revenue in these regions.