NR’s #2016YearInReview – Top 10 Biggest Hit Nollywood Movies of 2016

I had a dream (no laugh me abeg), where I would do some research and find out what the box office returns of some of our biggest movies this year was, find out what the budget was and what the profit margin was and use that to make this list.

Dreeeeaaaammmmsssss!

In this case, dreams that do NOT come true. For some reason, we are yet to have some sort of collaborative method or effort to collect the numbers in regards to Nigerian movie returns at the box office. Very few movies have numbers reported (like Wives on Strike, A Trip to Jamaica and Fifty); but even for the numbers we do have there is hardly a method of verifying the numbers.

So if someone comes tomorrow and says their movie made 150 million naira at the box office, we have no choice but to take their word for it or not believe them at all.

In creating this list, varying factors have been considered and they include: Box Office Returns vs. Budget, Critical Acclaim, Audience Appreciation and Social Media Buzz. Please note that we excluded movies that did not have a public release in 2016.

The following are our Top 10 Nollywood movies of 2016!

10) Okafor’s Law

Okafor’s Law earns its place for its showing at the Toronto International Film Festival

9) Ghana Must Go

GMG “was said to have” had a huge opening in cinemas nationwide (Ghana and Nigeria) when it first came out in February of this year. It was able to maximize its returns because the competition was less at that time of the year (as far as other Nollywood productions go). With a strong promotion crew and cast, plus the genius move of promoting it as a double whammy between Ghana and Nigeria, GMG is #9 on our list

8) The Arbitration

There were weeks without end where you could not go on social media without hearing something about “The Arbitration”. Even for those who defaulted to the comedy genre of film only, the arbitration still managed to pull them in via word of mouth. Beyond the marketing power and cast, the strongest appeal for “The Arbitration” was great word of mouth from everyday people.

7) 93 Days

A movie with a message, relevant to the times and the people, 93 Days gains its spot for multiple reasons. This $1.5 million budget movie has managed since its release to make it into the Toronto International Film Festival as well as others, it has been very well received among viewers, plus it is sweeping away the nominations for this coming awards season.

6) 76

Finally, after waiting for what nearly feels like half a decade, the crew and cast of Izu Ojukwu’s 76 came out in full force to promote this one movie that essentially everyone had been waiting for.

5) Wives on Strike

When Omoni Oboli does it, Omoni Oboli does it big. #WOS had a very different marketing technique but it’s appeal was in star power and it swept away the box office if the 60 million naira returns that was previously reported is anything to go by.

4) The Wedding Party

When Kemi Adetiba turned director of films she played no games and pulled out all stops. From the cast that reads like a fashion show to the daily promotions, even the release of the trailer seemed like an event of its own class. The Wedding Party continues to generate hype from award nominations to international film festivals and everything in between.

3) The CEO

Because how else should you premiere a movie asides from on board a plane? Kunle Afolayan does not know how to do anything with calm. With a cast that has been gathered from around the continent, The CEO gains its place on the list for promotions and budget as well as award nominations.

2) Fifty

Yes, we know that fifty was technically released in 2015. However, the December release lent it to a success story that spilled into 2016. With an approximated return of 94 million naira, Fifty is one of the most googled Nigerian movies of the year.

1) A Trip To Jamaica

AY Makun proves time and time again that comedy is a forever profitable venture and in the style of his last movie “30 days to Atlanta”, AT2J also swept away the box office with an estimated return of 172 million naira plus immense word of mouth.