Mo Abudu says cinema screen time in Nollywood is driven by ticket sales, not favoritism

Mo Abudu says Nigerian cinemas allocate slots based on audience turnout, not industry connections.
She explains that poor-performing films are often pulled early to reduce losses.
Filmmakers’ long-running claims of bias in cinema scheduling continue to stir debate.

Mo Abudu, founder of EbonyLife Group, has pushed back against growing claims that Nigerian cinemas favour certain filmmakers or production houses when allocating screen time, insisting that business realities, not cabals, determine which movies stay in theatres.

Speaking during a television interview, the media executive said cinema programming is ultimately shaped by one thing: whether audiences are buying tickets.

According to her, exhibitors operate on thin margins and cannot afford to keep underperforming films in rotation simply to satisfy relationships or industry sentiment.

How cinema slots are actually decided

Abudu explained that at EbonyLife Cinemas, films are evaluated weekly based on turnout across multiple showings. Movies that attract strong audiences retain favourable screening schedules, while those that fail to fill seats are often reduced or removed altogether.

She broke down the numbers to illustrate the pressure cinemas face, with several locations, multiple daily screenings, and high operational costs, including staff wages, electricity, and air conditioning. When only a handful of people attend a screening in a large hall, she said, continuing to show the film becomes financially unsustainable.

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From her perspective, no single movie, regardless of who produced it, can dominate hundreds of screenings in a month without consistent ticket demand backing it.

Why some films disappear quickly

Abudu revealed that EbonyLife has previously removed its own films from cinemas when audience turnout fell below expectations, stressing that ownership does not guarantee protection.

She said decisions to cut a film short are often difficult but necessary, especially when losses begin to outweigh potential recovery. In her words, cinema operators must prioritise sustainability over sentiment.

Context: the wider industry debate

Her comments come amid ongoing frustration from Nollywood filmmakers who say cinema chains manipulate screening schedules, especially during crowded holiday seasons.

Actors and producers, including Toyin Abraham, Ini Edo, Mercy Aigbe and Niyi Akinmolayan, have previously alleged that some cinemas reduce showtimes for certain films, promote others through staff merchandise, or discourage viewers from buying tickets to competing titles.

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Mo Abudu says cinema screen time in Nollywood is driven by ticket sales, not favoritism

Former BBNaija housemate Pere has also claimed he lost over ₦150 million due to what he described as unfair exhibition practices.

However, the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) has consistently denied these accusations. Its former chairman, Patrick Lee, has argued that sabotaging films runs against cinemas’ own commercial interests since empty halls hurt revenue more than any industry rivalry.

Abudu’s comments highlight a growing tension in Nigeria’s film ecosystem, between creative ambition and exhibition economics. As cinema chains face rising costs and filmmakers battle for limited screens during peak periods, the question of fairness versus profitability continues to shape industry conversations.

For now, Abudu insists the formula remains simple: films that bring audiences stay on screens, while those that do not, make way, regardless of who made them.