The debut of native Nollywood films in theaters occurred in 2023.

The film business saw tremendous changes in 2023, emerging from the ashes of the difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021.

The Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) released early box office data, and it was noteworthy that local films dominated the list. Among them, A Tribe Called Judah broke the record for the highest single-day gross of any Nollywood film.

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This year also demonstrated the dynamic nature of the film industry, which is characterized by a growing emphasis on diversity and cultural representation, technology breakthroughs, and changing storytelling patterns.

The tale that surrounded Nollywood films copying Western culture became less relevant as 80 percent of the biggest films used indigenous themes and highlighted the main ethnic groupings in Nigeria.

Filmmakers also put a lot of labor into post-production, which raised the caliber of their output as a whole. Prominent films such as Orisa and Jagun Jagun explored profound Yoruba epic stories and won praise for their superb action scenes, breathtaking scenery, and amazing special effects.

Leading Nigerian actor Odunlade Adekola’s Orisa to become the country’s highest-grossing Nollywood film, it played for 14 weeks in theaters all around the country and brought in ₦127.89 million in total revenue, according to CEAN.

Surprisingly, 2023 marked a major turning point for women in the Nollywood film industry as three incredibly gifted actors entered the world of film production.

A Tribe Called Judah by Funke Akindele, Ada Omo Daddy by Mercy Aigbe, and Malaika by Toyin Abraham sparked curiosity among viewers and drew fervent throngs to theaters.

Even with the constraints of fewer theaters and the widespread availability of streaming services, these films are smashing box office records, indicating a bright future for the business.

Can we state with confidence that the film business has advanced significantly from 2022 to 2023?

Credit: Pulse.ng