By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigeria currently has 123 licensed cinema exhibition premises, with Lagos State accounting for almost half of the total, according to fresh data released by the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB).
The figures, discovered by BlackBox Nigeria through its official website highlight the uneven spread of cinema infrastructure across the country and reinforce Lagos’ position as Nigeria’s entertainment and creative hub.
According to the breakdown, Lagos alone hosts 51 licensed cinemas with different on-screen show at a single cinema, far ahead of other states.
Ogun State ranks second with 11 cinemas, while the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) has 10, and Rivers State accounts for nine licensed exhibition centres.
Other states with notable cinema presence include Osun (6), Edo (5), Delta (4) and Oyo (4). Abia and Cross River states each have three cinemas, while Anambra, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo and Kaduna have two each.
Several states record just one licensed cinema. These include Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa and Taraba.
The published data has sparked reactions online with many saying the concentration of cinemas in Lagos reflects the state’s large population and concentration of entertainment as its major hub.
However, the data also underscores the limited access to cinema culture in many parts of the country, especially in the North and some rural regions.
The NFVCB director while reacting under a post made by Kayode Badmus on Facebook reiterate his commitments towards ensuring even distribution of cinemas in the country, with a strong call for potential investors to invest in to the growing industry.
While some observers noted the absence of some states on the list, the director replied that the omission was a “costly” one, further reinforcing his commitments towards updating the list soon.
In the same comment, he called out the director in charge of licensing cinemas, Mrs Chika Ononobi to take cognizance of the observations.
With a total of 123 licensed cinemas nationwide, stakeholders say there remains significant room for expansion, especially as Nigeria’s film industry continues to gain global attention and local demand for cinema experiences grows.
