December Delight: ‘A Tribe Called Judah’ and 3 Other Films Dominate Nigerian Box Office with N1.65 Billion in Sales

In a dazzling finale to 2023, Nigeria’s box office experienced a triumphant surge, raking in an impressive N1.65 billion in December alone. Infostride News, in collaboration with X, proudly announces that the blockbuster “A Tribe Called Judah,” spearheaded by the talented Funke Akindele, played a pivotal role in this achievement. The combined contributions of this film and three other titles—Aquaman, Malaika, and Ada Omo Daddy—accounted for a staggering 79% of the total box office revenue.

This exciting revelation came to light on Monday when the Nigerian box office, through X, disclosed the phenomenal success. The cumulative earnings from the four films, strategically released just weeks before Christmas, reached a formidable N1.3 billion, significantly bolstering the cinema industry’s financial landscape for December 2023.

According to a tweet from Infostride News:

“From 1st – 31st December 2023, the Nigerian Box office earned over N1.65B and sold over 461,000 tickets. About 88% of the business came from the 15th – 31st of December.”

The tweet further highlighted the approximate grosses for each of the leading blockbusters:

“A Tribe Called Judah: N780M, Aquaman 2: N280M, Malaika: N142M, Ada Omo Daddy: N120M.” It was emphasized that these figures might be conservative, as some cinemas were yet to submit their reports.

For context, “A Tribe Called Judah” and “Ada Omo Daddy” premiered on December 15, 2023, while “Malaika” and “Aquaman 2” captivated audiences nationwide starting December 22, 2023.

The initial hours following the release of Funke Akindele’s “A Tribe Called Judah” witnessed an extraordinary feat, securing its position as the highest-grossing movie of 2023. With over N60 million in ticket sales, the film set a remarkable standard. Simultaneously, “Ada Omo Daddy” experienced a robust reception, generating over N18.5 million in the first few days of its release.

This cinematic triumph unfolded against the backdrop of a persistent decline in cinema attendance in Nigeria over the last five years, exacerbated by the global pandemic that disrupted entertainment and outdoor activities.

However, during the holiday season, the Nigerian box office noted a noteworthy surge in attendance, as highlighted in a tweet:

“We’re seeing attendance levels for this week on par with 2018/2019 levels & with ticket prices significantly higher, this week’s grosses are doing insane numbers.”

In December, especially in the days leading up to Christmas, cinema admission experienced a revival, nearing pre-pandemic levels. For instance, in 2018 between Dec 21-27, cinemas recorded 245,262 admissions. Fast forward to 2022, Dec 23-29 saw a drop in figures to 184,014, and in 2023, the numbers picked up to 210,756 admissions between Dec 22-28.

As Infostride News revels in this box office triumph, the industry’s resilience and the power of compelling storytelling have once again shone through, proving that even in challenging times, the magic of cinema continues to captivate audiences.