How ‘Agbara Nla’ rose from 1993 classic to 2026 box-office phenomenon

The Mount Zion Nollywood film Agbara Nla: The Return has achieved several major box-office milestones since its cinema release on 1 October 2026.

Agbara Nla: The Return revisits the 1993 Mount Zion classic, bringing its story of spiritual warfare and the struggle between good and evil to a new generation of cinema audiences.

Directed by Damilola Mike-Bamiloye and Joshua ‘Jay Mikee’ Bamiloye, the film features the return of Mount Zion founder Mike Bamiloye, who reprises his role as Isawuru.

The production’s journey from a modestly made 1993 Christian film to a major commercial cinema success in 2026 also underscores the story’s enduring appeal.

The film stars Evang. Mike Bamiloye, Damilola Mike-Bamiloye, Aanu Kolade Abiodun, Philip Olubakin, Mosiko Remilekun Adesina, Gloria Bamiloye and Omolara Ayoola.

Since its release, the movie has continued to make major strides, breaking and setting new records. These stand out, particularly because it is a faith-based movie, not a regular Nollywood comedy flick, and because it has earned a strong reputation outside Nollywood’s usual December peak season.

Here are some of the major box-office milestones the Agbara Nla has hit.

Unlike previous movies, Agbara Nla broke this record outside the December peak period. 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. The film grossed approximately ₦170.6 million from its previews and opening weekend, setting a new benchmark for a Nollywood release outside the December festive period.

Agbara Nla: The Return is the highest Nollywood movie preview with over ₦71 million in preview/first-day gross, the record for the highest opening preview/first-day gross for a Nollywood movie. Behind the Scenes (2025) held the record with ₦45 million.

During its cinema run at the Nigerian box office, “Agbara Nla: The Return” maintained the No. 1 position on the box office charts for five consecutive weekends. The dates for those five consecutive top-charting weekends are based on the standard Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) tracking Friday-to-Sunday cycle. On the first weekend, from 2nd to 4th October, it hit ₦170.6 million over the 4-day Independence holiday/opening weekend, making it the highest opening weekend ever for a faith-based Nollywood film and the biggest non-December opening on record. On the second weekend, 9th to 11th October, it maintained strong holdover attendance driven by community turnouts, pushing cumulative earnings toward the ₦300 million mark. On the third weekend, from 16th to 18th October, it crossed ₦307.2 million, making it the highest-grossing Nollywood October release of all time. On the fourth weekend, from 23rd October to 25th October, it surpassed ₦354.5 million, maintaining dominance over newly released competition across nationwide cinemas. And on the fifth weekend, from 30th October to 1st November, it crossed ₦408 million, wrapping up its 5th straight week at the top of the Nigerian cinema charts.

With over ₦486 million grossed across its six-week theatrical run, Agbara Nla: The Return holds the record for the highest-grossing faith-based film in West African cinema history. It became one of the top 10 highest-grossing Nollywood movies of all time, alongside mainstream blockbusters. Agbara Nla: The Return proved that structured, high-production faith-based titles can compete directly with mainstream commercial comedies and action films at the box office.

Agbara Nla: The Return (October 2026) set a record as the biggest October release in Nollywood history, opening with a ₦170.6 million 4-day debut and going on to gross over ₦486 million.

Before Agbara Nla, several prominent Nollywood titles anchored the October/Independence weekend box-office window; some include Brotherhood (September to October 2022, grossed ₦328.8 million), followed by Merry Men: The Yoruba Demon, which previously held the late-Sept/October non-holiday opening benchmark, grossing ₦235.6 million.

Agbara Nla: The Return is currently the second-highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2026, with box-office earnings of over ₦486.4 million. It ranks behind Call of My Life, which leads the annual chart with ₦902.3 million.

The film is ahead of Love and New Notes, which has grossed ₦400.17 million, and The Return of Arinzo, with ₦347.9 million.

By grossing over ₦486 million in its six-week theatrical run, Agbara Nla: The Return officially broke into the top elite of Nigerian cinema, becoming the 10th highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time.

This milestone is historic; it displaced classic mainstream blockbusters to claim its spot, making Agbara Nla the only faith-based film ever to enter the prestigious top 10 all-time box office chart. For nearly a decade, Kemi Adetiba’s The Wedding Party (2016), which originally grossed ₦452.3M, served as the baseline measure of a major Nollywood box-office classic. Agbara Nla: The Return dethroned The Wedding Party from the top 10 list, proving that non-secular storytelling can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with comedy, action, and festive heist blockbusters.

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