Nollywood faith-based film Agbara Nla: The Return has grossed ₦354.5 million at the Nigerian box office, emerging as the highest-grossing film in the country’s cinemas over the latest reported weekend.

The film, distributed by Nile Entertainment, achieved the milestone following its cinema release on October 1, 2026. The distributor announced the figures on Tuesday, attributing the film’s performance to a marketing campaign that appealed to longtime fans of the original production and younger audiences.

The latest earnings represent a significant increase from the ₦307.2 million the film reportedly generated by October 16, highlighting its continued commercial performance in cinemas.

Agbara Nla Leads Weekend Box Office

According to Nile Entertainment, Agbara Nla: The Return topped the Nigerian weekend box office with ₦47.50 million.

It was followed by Street Fighter, which generated ₦36.43 million, while The Other Mummy came third with ₦8.67 million.

The three films collectively earned ₦92.61 million, accounting for 58.9 per cent of total weekend box office revenue. The distributor said its entire slate of films contributed 68 per cent of the weekend’s cinema earnings.

Nile Entertainment attributed the film’s success partly to a promotional strategy built around the popularity and nostalgia associated with the original Agbara Nla.

The campaign reportedly included engagement with the Mount Zion community, endorsements from church leaders and online promotional activities. The distributor also said the promotional effort generated more than ₦71 million in advance ticket sales in a single day.

A Christian Classic Returns to Cinemas

Agbara Nla: The Return is a remake of the 1993 Christian film produced by renowned filmmaker Mike Bamiloye under Mount Zion Film Productions.

The new version was directed by his sons, Damilola Mike-Bamiloye and Joshua Mike-Bamiloye, popularly known as Jay Mikee.

The story centres on Muwonleru, a village controlled by Isawuru, a powerful herbalist. The narrative follows the conflict that unfolds when Christian evangelists enter the community to spread their faith, challenging the influence Isawuru holds over its residents.

Mike Bamiloye reprises his role as Isawuru in the new production, which brings the familiar story to cinema audiences more than three decades after the original became popular among Christian film viewers.

Film Records Strong International Opening

Beyond its Nigerian performance, the film has also recorded an opening weekend gross of $120,660 in selected cinemas in the United Kingdom and Canada, according to its distributor.

Nile Entertainment described the international performance as a significant achievement for a Nigerian faith-based production, reporting several milestones in the UK market.

The film’s reception demonstrates how an established story with a longstanding audience can attract viewers through theatrical distribution while introducing the production to a new generation.

Nile Entertainment’s General Manager, Nowe Segun-Ojo, said the company’s performance reflected its distribution strategy, which involves tailoring promotional activities to the genres and audiences of individual films.

The company began operations in August 2024 and said having three of its titles occupy the top three positions at the weekend box office was an encouraging milestone.

With Agbara Nla: The Return continuing its cinema run, its latest earnings add to the growing commercial profile of faith-based films within Nigeria’s film industry.

Veteran Nollywood actor Yinka Quadri has spoken about his decades-long friendship with fellow actress Saje, which dates back to their early days in the movie industry.

According to Quadri, Saje was already close to his wife before the couple married, and she has kept that bond over the years without engaging in gossip. He said she knew about some of his relationships with other women but never passed the information on to his wife, describing her as someone who can be trusted.

The Agba Aki  of Oro Kingdom also recalled a time he considered helping Saje’s husband, Rafiu Balogun, during a difficult period in their marriage. He told Saje that Rafiu wanted to accompany him to a movie location, expecting her to object because of their misunderstanding. Instead, she welcomed the idea. Quadri said he felt obliged to inform her because of her friendship with his wife.
The actor also spoke on pay in the movie industry, insisting he would not expect to earn more than younger colleagues simply because of his experience.

Citing Funke Akindele and Lateef Adedimeji as examples, he said, “If I’m being called to a job, and Funke Akindele and Lateef Adedimeji are going to be paid the same amount, I’m an enemy of God if I’m expecting that they should pay me more than him.”

The veteran actor added that actors negotiate their fees differently. Some accept whatever they are offered, while others insist on the amount they want. He concluded that such differences are simply part of life.

Nollywood icon gives fans an early taste of the film with a new track featuring SHODAY, now streaming on YouTube.

Ahead of its big-screen release, Funke Akindele’s highly anticipated film THE FOUR: No One Fights Alone has unveiled one of its soundtracks, “WAJE,” featuring SHODAY. The track is out now on YouTube via the FAAN TV channel.

By releasing the music before the film, the team is giving audiences a glimpse of the story’s tone and emotion. The accompanying visuals show a graduation scene with students in caps and gowns, surrounded by family members in colourful traditional attire who applaud the moment. It’s a fitting image for a film that stresses community and the idea that no one has to face life’s battles alone.

THE FOUR: No One Fights Alone opens in cinemas nationwide on December 11.
Fans can watch the video and share their thoughts in the comments using #TheFour and #TheFourNoOneFightsAlone.