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After topping the box office as the highest-grossing cinema in West Africa in 2024, Mo Abudu has announced that the Nigerian media powerhouse is bringing its luxury entertainment experience to the UK with the launch of EbonyLife Place London in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Much like its Lagos counterpart that launched in 2019, renowned for how it has reimagined entertainment and hospitality— a luxury one-stop entertainment experience that includes a cinema, upscale dining, event spaces, and boutique accommodations—the London expansion with a 180-seater theatre, aims to replicate this model, catering not only to the growing Nigerian and African diaspora but also to international audiences intrigued by Nollywood.
Its flagship cinema in Lagos, EbonyLife Cinemas, currently operates four screening rooms, and a private screening lounge. In 2024, the single-location cinema recorded a remarkable ₦838.7 million in box office revenue, marking a 15.4% increase in admissions compared to the previous year, making it the highest-grossing cinema (based on box office) in Anglophone West Africa (according to FilmOne’s yearbook and confirmed by Nigerian Box Office).
The announcement of the London expansion comes at a critical time for Nigerian films in the global market. From critically acclaimed titles like Mami Wata and Over The Bridge to box office hits such as Everybody Loves Jenifa, Nollywood is making efforts to build a market to command audiences beyond Africa. Notably, Everybody Loves Jenifa, distributed by Nile, enjoyed a sold-out run in the UK before its premiere date (December 20, 2024), highlighting the demand for African-centered entertainment, albeit powered by Funke Akindele‘s huge influence.
Moreover, with streaming platforms restrategisng their Africa operations and Mo Abudu’s latest release, Baby Farm, geo-locked exclusively to African subscribers, industry stakeholders are increasingly exploring alternative strategies. Beyond EbonyLife Place London, the media group also announced a mid-2024 partnership with Nile Media to develop luxury cinema pods across West Africa.
EbonyLife Group, under Abudu’s leadership, has pushed Nigerian stories globally, most notably under her multi-year collaboration with Netflix. Some other previously announced deals are with Sony Pictures Television and BBC.
The opening of EbonyLife Place London will be closely watched as an indicator of Nollywood’s long-term viability in international markets, one that is not just about making films but also about building infrastructure that sustains the industry’s growth globally. If successful, it could serve as a blueprint for further expansion into cities with significant African diaspora populations.
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