‘Agbara Nla: The Return’ remake records biggest non-December Nollywood opening

Nollywood faith-based film ‘Agbara Nla: The Return’ recorded the biggest non-December opening for a Nigerian film, earning about N170.6 million across its preview screenings and first weekend in cinemas.

The film generated about N71.4 million from preview screenings ending on 1 October and added approximately N99.2 million between Friday, 2 October, and Sunday, 4 October.

The performance also makes it the highest-grossing October opening for a Nigerian film and the strongest opening recorded by a faith-based Nollywood production.

Non-December Release

This non-December distinction matters because Nigerian cinemas usually record their strongest traffic during the festive season. Major Nollywood productions are often scheduled for December to benefit from public holidays, family outings, increased consumer spending, and the “Detty December” entertainment rush.

As a result, many of Nollywood’s biggest opening records belong to December releases, including Funke Akindele’s ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa’ (2024) and ‘Behind the Scenes’ (2025).

By earning N170.6 million in October, ‘Agbara Nla: The Return’ achieved blockbuster-level numbers without the advantage of the Christmas holiday season.

In this context, the “biggest non-December opening” refers to the highest opening gross recorded by a Nollywood film released between January and November, based on available Nigerian box-office figures.

‘Agbara Nla’ was originally produced by Mike Bamiloye in 1993. The story returned to cinemas on 1 October 2026 as ‘Agbara Nla: The Return’, directed by his sons, Damilola Mike-Bamiloye and Joshua “Jay Mikee” Mike-Bamiloye.

Box-office performance

Before its first full weekend, ‘Agbara Nla: The Return’ generated approximately N71.4 million from 12,134 admissions during its preview screenings.

The film then recorded about N99.2 million from 16,223 admissions between 2 and 4 October, bringing its four-day gross to about N170.6 million.

The opening places the faith-based production among Nollywood’s strongest cinema debuts, although Funke Akindele’s December releases remain ahead in the overall opening-weekend rankings.

‘Everybody Loves Jenifa’ recorded an opening-weekend total of approximately N206 million, while ‘Behind the Scenes’ earned about N205.5 million.

Agbara Nla began with N5,000

Speaking in a video about the film’s history, Mike Bamiloye recalled that production of the original Agbara Nla began in 1993 with only N5,000.

“In 1993, we wanted to shoot Agbara Nla. We started the film with N5,000. People were bringing yam and corn; we were eating corn in the forest just to shoot Agbara Nla,” he said.

The filmmaker said the production had neither a manager nor a promotional team when it was completed, although several marketers later competed to distribute it. He recalled that the filmmakers continued to struggle financially even as the film became popular across Nigeria.

“We were hungry, we were suffering, we had no food to eat, but our name was everywhere,” he said.

Mr Bamiloye also recounted approaching a marketer for financial assistance after the production, “We approached one marketer and said, ‘Give us money, please give us money, even if it is N10,’ and the marketer said, ‘Mount Zion people, you are becoming lovers of money; you are pursuing money.’

“But he is the one advertising the thing and selling. You can take all the money; you can’t take the anointing. You can take all the money; you can dupe us, but you can’t carry the grace. If you steal our movie, another one will rise from inside.”

The filmmaker said the difficult experience eventually shaped his understanding of the film’s impact, “I went to God and said, ‘Lord, we are suffering.’ You know what God said? He said, ‘I never told you that I would make you rich through Agbara Nla, but I will give you a name through the movie,’” he recalled.

Mr Bamiloye said the promise became evident as the film attracted a following and audiences increasingly associated him and his colleagues with Mount Zion Faith Ministries.

Making of Agbara Nla

Although the film became widely known through television broadcasts and home-video circulation in the 1990s, Mr Bamiloye traced the story’s origin to the National Festival of Christian Drama, HARVEST ’87.

Mount Zion Faith Ministries organised the festival at the GOFAMINT International Gospel Centre in Ojoo, Ibadan.

The project was initially titled Agbara To Ju Agbara Lo. It involved drama ministers from churches and tertiary institutions, including the University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, Ogun State University and the College of Education, Ilesa.

The first production attempt collapsed after filming at Apete Village in Ibadan. According to Mr Bamiloye, the cameraman disappeared with the recorded tapes, and repeated attempts to find him failed.

The project was subsequently abandoned before Mr Bamiloye rewrote the script and restarted production at Badeku Village in Ibadan.

Members of the Christian community helped to keep the production alive. A Foursquare Gospel Church pastor contributed N5,000 toward a camera deposit, while the late Idowu Animashawun of World Hope Mission accommodated crew members.

The completed film was eventually broadcast on television, introducing the story to audiences across the country.

An English-language adaptation, ‘The Ultimate Power ‘, followed in 1994, extending its reach beyond the predominantly Yoruba-speaking audience of the original production.

The original story

The story is set in Muwonleru, a village dominated by Isawuru, a powerful herbalist whose spiritual influence keeps the community in fear.

It centres on the confrontation between Christian faith and traditional spiritual power after evangelists attempt to take the gospel to the village.

Isawuru, portrayed by Mr Bamiloye in the original production, became one of the filmmaker’s most recognisable characters.

The film’s treatment of spiritual warfare, deliverance, faith and the triumph of divine power over evil also became a defining feature of subsequent Mount Zion productions.

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Return after 33 years

More than three decades later, the story has been reimagined for a new generation in Agbara Nla: The Return, with Mr Bamiloye reprising his role as Isawuru.

Damilola Mike-Bamiloye, Joshua “Jay Mikee” Mike-Bamiloye, and Chris Odeh produced it. Mohammed Sedik and Damilola Mike-Bamiloye are credited as co-producers.

Mount Zion Film Productions, Circuits, and Sozo Films produced it, while Nile Entertainment handles distribution.

The cast includes Philip Olubakin as Olaboye, Damilola Mike-Bamiloye as Kola, and Aanu Kolade Abiodun as Bose. Gloria Mike-Bamiloye, Remilekun Mosiko, and David Kola Okeowo also feature in the film.