Over the past year since launch, Nile Group has gradually laid its groundwork in taking African stories to a wider audience. Officially founded in August 2024 by ex-FilmOne MD Moses Babatope, Nile was established with a structure designed for growth both locally and globally across the film value chain, led by an all-female group of executives overseeing key operations.
The company has its reach in various areas of the film business through five subsidiaries: Nile Entertainment (film distribution arm) Nile Cinemas (providing cinema experiences), Nile Motion Pictures (producing Nollywood films), Nile Studio Lab (a film village to be developed in Nigeria) and Nile Foundation (handling community development and training programs in film).
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“Our vision for Nile Media Entertainment Group is to be the beacon of African storytelling, illuminating hearts and minds across the globe with captivating films that celebrate diversity…” Babatope stated in his launch statement in July 2024.
One of their first efforts came in August 2024, when they secured distribution rights to Omoni Oboli’s Wives On Strike: The Uprising in 15 countries. These included Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Ghana, and multiple French-speaking countries.
By October 2024, the group had taken up its tech and innovation mission by making use of Atlas Reach (a voucher system built by Fusion Intelligence that enables the presale of film tickets) to drive ₦10 million in presales for Wives on Strike: The Uprising ahead of its October 18th release, according to Nile’s inaugural yearbook.
In December, the group announced that it had secured international theatrical release rights to two Nollywood films: Funke Akindele‘s Everybody Loves Jenifa, announcing a planned theatrical release in 30+ countries across six continents, and AY Makun’s The Waiter in select European, American and African theatres.
Based on figures reported by Nile, Everybody Loves Jenifa became the first Nigerian film to sell out five pre-premiere international screens in the UK, pulling in $194,560 across eight days in various markets, showcasing box‑office potential beyond Nollywood’s traditional borders.
In early 2025, Nile added to its catalogue with the global distribution of Radio Voice, a drama produced by Richard Mofe‑Damijo, released on April 11, 2025, which grossed approximately ₦34 million domestically. Around the same time, Nile also distributed Lord Tanner’s The Artifact, an adventure film about four friends on a dangerous quest for hidden treasure.
The slate continued with Makemation, an AI-themed feature that debuted on April 18, earning ₦32.9 million within its first four days, and Èwò (Forbidden), released on July 18, which has brought in over ₦25 million.
In August, the company kicked off its lineup with the August 1 release of Dead Tide, starring Ikechukwu Onunaku, followed by Revelations on August 15, another RMD production in which he appears alongside his son, Oghenetega Mofe-Damijo, making his acting debut. Also slated for the month is Kayode Kasum’s The Serpent’s Gift, which was officially announced as part of Nile Media’s 2025 slate during the Film Tech Connect event in February.
Looking further ahead, Nile is slated to distribute titles such as Osamede, Eko Miami, Osu, Night of June 7th, and Out of Breath. However, their specific release dates and platforms are yet to be revealed.
Over the past year, films distributed by Nile have shown very different performances at the domestic box office, with some titles drawing large audiences and others struggling to make a mark.
According to data provided by the Nigerian Box Office, the biggest success so far is Wives On Strike: The Uprising, earning over ₦127 million, with Red Circle (by first-timer producer Nora Awolowo) close behind at ₦116 million. Others fall below the 100 million naira mark: Makemation (₦89.9M) and Radio Voice (₦69.6M) follow closely.
After those high-performers for the distributor, there’s a drop. Ewo (₦25.7M), The Artifact (₦18.8M), and Imported Wives (₦12.1M) achieved lesser figures, while at the lower end are Dead Tide (₦8.65M) and Reverse (₦7.03M). Box Office numbers for Dead Tide and Ewo are subject to change as both films are still in theatres at the time of this report.
The gap between the top four and the rest is large, even in attendance, as is expected with fan favourites like Omoni Oboli’s Wives on Strike 3, bringing in almost 30,000 in attendance, showing that only a few films have reached very high earnings. All the top earners were released earlier in the year, and factors such as genre, marketing, or the recognition of certain titles may have helped boost their earnings.
One point of reference that will always come up is Nile’s mission statement to tell African stories to a global audience. This remains the priority of the group as they have focused mainly on distributing indigenous stories. This translates to film distribution of international titles in Nigeria remaining in the hands of major outlets like FilmOne and the Silverbird group.
Other ongoing initiatives on the exhibition front include forming partnerships with media mogul Mo Abudu and the Ooni of Ife. In August 2024, the company announced their partnership with Mo Abudu and EbonyLife to launch “The Pods,” private luxury cinema pods featuring gourmet experiences, a model designed to introduce a premium viewing segment in Nigeria. However, not much has been announced in terms of the plan’s progression.
The partnership with the Ooni of Ife announced Nile’s management of Ojaja Cinemas in Ile‑Ife and Akure, which includes plans to expand into Lagos. Their vision is to deploy up to 1,000 screens over five years, complemented by a 1,000‑acre Film & Talent City for production training, youth employment, and skills development.
Still in line with its goal to push innovation and accessibility in the cinema space, Nile Group has also teamed up with This Is Africa to launch mobile cinemas in 2025. This partnership is expected to bring the big-screen experience to communities without access to traditional cinemas, especially in smaller towns and rural areas.
In one year, Nile Group has been laying the key foundation in amplifying African stories through global distribution and strategic partnerships. Its focus on African content, specifically Nigerian content for the time being, has helped bring Nollywood titles like Everybody Loves Jenifa to wider audiences, setting a new standard for international reach.
However, while the progress is commendable, the road ahead is still rife with complexities. The group’s ambition to expand to 1,000 cinema screens is a vision of long-term infrastructure building. But as of now, many of these initiatives remain in the planning or early development stages. The luxury cinema concept, “The Pods,” also raises questions about scalability and market demand in a challenging economic environment.
The true test will lie in execution, whether these big ideas translate into sustainable growth and systemic impact across the continent’s creative economy. These hurdles could slow the pace of Nile’s ambitions. While some of their early achievements show promise, long-term success will depend on overcoming systemic issues and building sustainable pathways for African films to thrive globally.
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