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Loving Itohan opened atop Nigeria’s box office with ₦24.2 million, narrowly ending Agbara Nla: The Return’s five-week reign at number one in cinemas.
Loving Itohan has opened at number one in Nigeria, ending the five-week box-office reign of Agbara Nla: The Return by one of the narrowest margins audiences have seen this year.
The Nancy Isime-led drama earned approximately ₦24.2 million from 3,622 admissions across 80 locations during the November 6–8, 2026 weekend. According to Fusion Intelligence figures reported by FilmBunch, that was enough to place the new release at the top of the chart.
The result gives Loving Itohan an important early audience-performance milestone, but the closeness of the contest also underlines the continuing strength of the film it displaced.
A box-office race decided by ₦183,499
Agbara Nla: The Return generated approximately ₦24 million during the same period, finishing just ₦183,499 behind the weekend’s new champion. It also recorded 3,798 ticket sales, exceeding the 3,622 admissions reported for Loving Itohan.
Those figures make the result especially striking. While Loving Itohan claimed the revenue crown, Agbara Nla: The Return attracted more admissions and remained highly competitive after spending five weeks at number one.
For Nigerian cinema observers, the close finish offers a useful reminder that headline rankings do not always tell the full audience story. Ticket volumes, location counts and revenue can reveal different aspects of a film’s performance, particularly when two releases finish within such a small financial margin.
A stronger weekend for Nigerian cinemas
The wider market also moved in a positive direction. Nigerian cinemas generated approximately ₦144.6 million from about 21,200 admissions over the weekend, representing an 11% increase from the previous frame.
Reported cinema revenue for 2026 consequently reached ₦15.63 billion, placing the market 29.61% ahead of the comparable period in 2025. The growth provides encouraging context for filmmakers, producers and distributors monitoring how theatrical audiences are responding to local and international releases.
What the opening means for Loving Itohan
Directed by Orobosa Ikponmwen, Loving Itohan is a Greoh Studios and NIP Studios production released by FilmOne Entertainment. Its number-one debut gives the title immediate visibility in a busy theatrical marketplace and demonstrates the value of a wide opening across 80 locations.
However, such a slim lead also leaves the next stage of the race open. The film’s longer-term performance will depend on how effectively it maintains audience interest, while Agbara Nla: The Return has already shown considerable staying power. For Nollywood, the closely contested weekend is a welcome sign of active cinema-going and meaningful competition between releases.
Join the conversation
Which matters more when judging a box-office winner: total revenue, ticket admissions or the ability to sustain interest over several weeks?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Sources
Source links used to research and verify this article:
FilmBunchBroadcast Media Africa
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