James Abinibi, a Nollywood filmmaker and helmsman at Rockbottom Flix has advised his colleagues in Nollywood, advising them to steer clear of cinema releases, which he claims are no longer financially viable.
In a tell-it-all, lengthy post on Instagram on Friday, Abinibi claimed that no Nollywood producer has recouped their investment from cinema outings this year, stating that the theatrical business model is bleeding and unsustainable.
“DON’T TAKE YOUR MOVIE TO THE CINEMAS,” he began.
“No Nollywood producer has broken even from their cinema releases this year. None. Not a single one. Forget all the ‘first movie to…’ or ‘biggest…’ records you’ve been sold.
“Everyone that has a movie out in the cinemas since January this year is bleeding—and it’s not stopping anytime soon.”
Abinibi, who is also a director and graphic designer, said his motive for speaking out is rooted in his passion for the industry.
“Not to be the bearer of bad news, but I speak genuinely from a place of pure love and passion for our film industry—at a time when it’s convenient to keep quiet and murmur in private. Some of us, well, me—I no sabi pretend.”
He noted that to break even in cinemas, producers must rake in close to a billion naira. “To break even with your cinema outing, first consider that the average blockbuster costs nothing less than 200 million to make.
“Usually, it’s much more… Meaning, you need to do around 700 to 900 million by the end of your cinema run to recoup your initial capital.”
Abinibi blamed the economic situation, high production costs, and consumer scepticism for the crisis.
“Prominent actors aren’t reducing their fees, top crew members still charge a premium, and equipment suppliers are constantly adjusting to the ever-changing dollar rate,” he said, adding that many viewers would rather go see imported content like Sinner than risk disappointment with a local film.
He also criticised the trend of using skits and dance videos for promotion, arguing that strong storytelling and high production value are what truly draw audiences.
“I still believe that a spectacular film will always thrive at the box office with proper media promotion… Most of our audience doesn’t have much faith in our movies.”
While cinema may once have been used to attract streaming deals, Abinibi says that the backup plan is no longer reliable.
“It used to be that producers would do their cinema runs to get some ego boost—clearly not making any profit—and then bank on streaming platforms… Not that the platforms have abandoned us—they’ve just taken a break.”
Despite the grim picture, the filmmaker admitted he is about to begin pre-production on a new project, even though he hasn’t released the last one he completed.
“Filmmaking is a genuine source of joy and fulfilment for many of us… Filmmaking is a spiritual thing,” he wrote.
He ended his post with a passionate appeal: “We need help in Nollywood. And a quick one too—before debts run people into depression.”
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.