Mount Zion’s Agbara Nla: The Return has earned more than ₦71 million from single-day cinema previews, attracting over 12,100 admissions, according to its distributor, Nile Entertainment.

The company disclosed the figures in a statement issued on Friday, October 2, as the faith-based film began its nationwide cinema release.

Nile Entertainment said the film recorded the biggest faith-based opening, the biggest first-day gross for a Nollywood title and the biggest single-day gross for October.

The distributor also described the earnings as the highest single-day preview gross in West Africa.

The cinema release brings back Agbara Nla, one of Mount Zion’s early faith-based productions, written by Mike Bamiloye and first released in 1993.

The original emerged during Nigeria’s home-video era, when audiences watched local productions on video cassettes. The new film takes the story to cinemas 33 years later, with Bamiloye’s sons, Damilola and Joshua, directing.

Chris Odeh produced the film, with Mount Zion Film Productions, Sozo Films and Circuits involved in the production. Nile Entertainment is handling its theatrical distribution.

Speaking in a joint statement, the directors said the response held particular meaning because of the original film’s place in the lives of its viewers.

“To see Agbara Nla: The Return receive this kind of response is deeply meaningful to us. This is a story our father wrote in 1993, and we knew we were carrying something that already meant a great deal to many people,” they said.

“Our responsibility was to honour the heart of the original while telling the story in a way that could connect with audiences today. Seeing people who grew up with Agbara Nla, alongside a new generation discovering it in cinemas, has been a special experience. We are grateful to everyone who has supported the film and to the audiences who have chosen to experience it on the big screen.”

Head of Theatrical Distribution, Nile Entertainment, Thelma Udeze, said the preview attendance showed the connection between the film and its audience.

“The response to Agbara Nla: The Return shows the strength of the connection audiences can have with stories that speak to their faith, culture and lived experiences,” she said.

“It is also encouraging to see a faith-based Nigerian film perform at this level within the wider theatrical market. At Nile, our role is to bring films to cinemas and build the right platform for them to reach their audiences, and we are pleased to see Agbara Nla: The Return making this kind of impact.”

Beyond its Nigerian cinema run, the film is also scheduled for theatrical release in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.

The distributor said it would announce details of the international releases later. The film is currently showing in cinemas nationwide.