The Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) reported February ticket sales of N278 million across cinemas nationwide, a significant drop from the N819 million sales in January 2023.
Mr Ope Ajayi, National Chairman of CEAN, attributed the drop in sales to the cash crunch and poor network service delivery experienced by POS operators nationwide following the implementation of the Naira redesign policy.
He also explained that cinemas had limited content to show in February because movie studios avoided releasing films during the election season.
The Presidential and National Assembly elections also contributed to a weekend of lost sales, as Nigerians were focused on voting across the country.
Despite the decline in sales, Ajayi said the top films exhibited in cinemas across the country in February were “Antman” and “Love in a Pandemic.”
He also listed films to watch out for in March, including “Creed III,” “What Love Got to Do with It,” “Shazam Fury of the Gods,” “John Wick IV,” “Different Strokes,” and “Dungeons and Dragons 83.”
The cinemas had a total of 122,295 gross admissions in February, which is lower than the previous month’s figure.
CEAN is optimistic that ticket sales will increase in March with the release of highly anticipated movies.
