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Tensions are rising within Nigeria’s film industry as several movie producers releasing films this December accuse cinema operators of deliberately obstructing their projects through questionable screening practices.
Prominent filmmakers including Toyin Abraham, Niyi Akinmolayan, and Ini Edo have independently spoken out, alleging that some cinemas are deliberately limiting showtimes, misleading customers, or collecting ticket payments without properly screening their films.
The complaints, which surfaced across Instagram Live sessions and social media posts, have reignited conversations around fairness, transparency, and power imbalance within Nigeria’s cinema distribution system — particularly during the highly competitive festive season.
During a late-night Instagram Live broadcast, actress and producer Toyin Abraham expressed deep frustration over the treatment of her latest film, Oversabi Aunty. She claimed that despite heavy investment and promotion, the movie was being intentionally sidelined in several cinema locations.
“I am not making money. They sell another ticket to people and take them to my movie hall,” Abraham said. She added that she had gathered proof to support her allegations but noted that many affected individuals were reluctant to speak openly. “I have a lot of evidence. Some people cannot come out because they are afraid of bullies.”
According to her, some cinemas assigned her movie screening times that were almost guaranteed to fail commercially. “Some cinemas will give you 10 am and 9 pm. A 10 am showtime, how do you expect it to sell?” she asked.
Abraham also alleged that cinema staff sometimes falsely told customers that Oversabi Aunty was sold out in order to redirect them to other films. “Some people will go to the cinema, you will tell them Oversabi Aunty is sold out and that they can watch another movie, meanwhile Oversabi Aunty is not sold out,” she said.
Emphasising her commitment to the project, she added, “I produced a good movie. I directed it. I did a lot of content to promote it.”
Film director and producer Niyi Akinmolayan also voiced similar concerns regarding his movie Colours of Fire. In a series of posts shared on X (formerly Twitter), he accused some cinema outlets of selling tickets for his film but refusing to screen it.
“If by end of day you don’t fix up, I am going to name all the cinemas that have Colours of Fire on their website, collected money from people and are refusing to show them the film,” he wrote.
In a follow-up message, Akinmolayan warned that he was prepared to publicly identify the cinemas and their managers if the situation continued. “I already have three and you know yourselves!! If you don’t fix up today, I will post your cinemas and the names of your managers!!!” he added.
Actress and first-time producer Ini Edo also joined the growing chorus of complaints. She shared several videos on Instagram showing cinema patrons expressing dissatisfaction over how her film was being handled.
On her X page, Edo described the experience as emotionally draining, especially given the effort and sacrifice she put into her debut production. “Nigerian cinemas, this has been exhausting,” she wrote. “As a first-timer, I learned on the go with humility and commitment, yet faced intentional frustration despite the sacrifice and investment poured into this project.”
Despite the setbacks, she maintained a hopeful tone, adding, “But God is bigger than every barrier, bigger than gatekeeping and intimidation.”
Although the filmmakers spoke separately, their grievances point to a broader concern about how screen allocation decisions are made, particularly during December — a peak period when many high-budget titles compete for limited slots.
The issue has also drawn attention to other cinema-related complaints circulating online. In a related incident, moviegoers at Ojaja Cinema in Akure, Ondo State, reported that Behind the Scenes, produced by Funke Akindele, stopped playing midway through a screening. Videos shared online showed visibly upset viewers reacting to the disruption.
As of the time of reporting, Akindele had not commented on the incident.
Collectively, these developments have renewed calls for transparency, accountability, and fair treatment within Nigeria’s cinema exhibition system, as producers continue to question how power is exercised behind the scenes during the industry’s most lucrative season.
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