Entertainment

Impact Of Covid-19 Lockdown On Nigerian Entertainment Industry

Published

5 years ago

October 30, 2020

The Nigerian entertainment industry in general has experienced substantial negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic since President Muhammadu Buhari first announced a 14-day national lockdown on March 31, 2020, which abruptly halted the activities of the industry across the country.
Those immediately impacted by the lockdown directive include the Nigerian film industry and it’s workforce as movie theatres have been shutdown, art exhibitions, musical concerts and comedy shows either cancelled or postponed, while tourism, arts and culture were equally hit badly by the lockdown.
Other entertainment outlets like amusement centres, parks, nightclubs that largely survive on daily basis were also affected.
In the movie industry, many Nigerian film makers including Omoni Oboli who was shooting a new TV series “Last Year Single’’ had to halt the production abruptly. The Covid-19 pandemic has no doubt sparked a dramatic first for movie industries across the world. As the lockdown persists, film makers are screening their movies for free on online platforms like You Tube.
As cinemas and movie theatres remain closed across the world, the global box office revenues have dropped significantly, while movie streaming site owners rake in huge cash flow, film exhibitors are counting their loses
Cinemas Exhibitors Association Of Nigeria (CEAN) in a recent report online stated that they had lost as much as 30 per cent of the weekend revenues since January 2020. According to the report, between January 17 and 19, Nigerian cinemas grossed N 75.9 million, the figure dropped by 20.8 per cent to N60.1 million by the first weekend of February
At the beginning of March, the figure dwindled further to N 54.9 million and two weeks after, the figure stood at N 45,283.647.The Nigerian Cinema Exhibitors and Operators (NCEO) noted that the industry’s revenue dropped by as much as 30.65 per cent between January and March 2020 and there is no respite for now as the Corona virus has already taken toll in the industry.
The music clan is not left out of the dwindling revenue saga in the industry as numerous music events, including music festivals, concert tours and award shows have been cancelled or postponed, while some musicians and composers were able to use the time to create works, they were flow on effects on many supporting people who relied on performers for their income. Several album releases have been delayed as well.
There is no aspect of the Nigerian music industry that was not affected by the Coronavirus outbreak and lockdown. According to a recent report on line, the most obvious though are the big names, Davido,Asa and Sinach, who had to postpone their tours and of course the cancellation of big shows like Gidifest. Many music video shoots and recording sessions have also been put on hold.
If anything, this season is challenging Nigerian musicians to think out of the box to remain relevant and make some income for as long as the lockdown persists. Many Nigerian musicians especially the A-listers have lost a lot of money already.
Recently, music executive, Jude Okoye of the defunct P Square advised his colleagues to brace up for a long holiday and a year without live shows, it might however be longer, that is if a new study published in the journal science by epidemiologists from Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health is any thing to go by.
According to the study, in the absence of a vaccine or any effective treatment for corona virus, social distancing measures affecting gatherings like concerts may need to be delayed into 2022. This means that many musicians might be unable to hold shows and concerts until 2022,that is almost two years from now.
As Nigerian entertainment continues to be affected by restrictions in response to the outbreak of Covid-19,the practitioners are moving to stream performances instead of physical shows. Take Nigerian comedian, Ay Makun for instance, who decided to host his annual comedy show, ‘Ay Live’, from the confines of his sprawling Lekki mansion on Instagram live with one guest, fellow comedian, Funny Bone.
The concert received a lot of positive reactions on social media and has been uploaded on Ay’s You Tube channel for fans to enjoy on demand. Ace Nigerian musician ,2 Baba, also held an e-concert on Instagram on April 12, just as several Nigerian DJs have also jumped on the trend.
Some popular night clubs in Port Harcourt and Lagos are also starting to stream live shows in their entire club session on You Tube, Facebook and Instagram on Friday and Saturday nights. Now more than ever, music streaming services like Spotify, Amazon music, You Tube, Band camp, sound cloud and Tidal are experiencing huge numbers of subscription and down loads across the world.
Tourism and Aviation are among the hardest hit by the lockdown and travel restrictions have caused huge slump in demand among travellers, mostly the local and foreign airlines suspended operations with all the airports under lockdown by the federal government. As of March 2020,the International Air Transport Association (IATA) had reported an estimated revenue loss of N252 billion in the sector globally under Covid-19.
In the hospitality sector, it is no secret that the sector has been equally hit by the pandemic with many of the employees either out of work or losing hours due to travel restrictions as a result of the shut down of businesses and social distancing. The hotels have been experiencing very low patronage, in fact multi- billion naira worth of deals have been lost in the sector according to online reports.

Jacob Obinna

Entertainment

‘Lie From The Pit Of Hell,’ Family Debunks Pete Edochie’s death Rumours

Published

6 days ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

The family of veteran Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie, has dismissed viral rumours circulating on social media claiming that the film icon is dead.

Reacting to the reports in a video shared on his Instagram page on Tuesday, the actor’s eldest son, Leo Edochie, described the claim as false and malicious.

“I’ve been receiving text messages and calls over the nonsense post by some people that our father, Chief Pete Edochie, is dead. It is a lie from the pit of hell,” he said.

Leo added that the actor is alive and in good health, condemning those responsible for spreading the rumour.

“Our father is alive, hale and hearty. And if you wish someone dead, two things usually happen. The person will live very long and you will die before him. Shame to all of you,” he said.

The rumour had sparked concern among fans before the family’s clarification.

Entertainment

‘Mother’s Love’ Challenges Nigerian’s Film Portray Of Motherhood

Published

6 days ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde critiques Nollywood’s lack of mother-daughter stories ahead of her directorial debut, ‘Mother’s Love.’ See the cast and 2026 release date.

Nollywood veteran actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde is making her directorial debut with a different and sharper focus. Speaking recently with Newsmen,, the screen icon highlighted a glaring void in the industry’s catalogue, which is the authentic reality of mother-daughter relationships.

“We don’t have too many films that explore or showcase the relationship between mothers and daughters,” Omotola said during the interview, describing the subject as something deeply personal to her.

Speaking honestly about raising her first daughter, she admitted she had only one mode at the time, which was discipline. “I didn’t do a good job,” she said plainly, explaining that she understood motherhood strictly through control, not softness or emotional openness.

At the centre of Mother’s Love is Adebisi, a sheltered young woman from a wealthy home whose life is shaped by her father’s rigid control. Her first taste of freedom comes through NYSC, where distance from home allows her to begin discovering who she is outside her family’s expectations. She forms a friendship with a young man from a more modest background, and through him, starts to see the world and herself differently.

But the emotional core of the film isn’t Adebisi’s rebellion. It’s her mother. Long after being presented as quiet and compliant, she slowly reveals a resolve when her daughter’s safety and future are threatened. As secrets surface and buried grief comes into view, Mother’s Love becomes less about youthful independence and more about maternal sacrifice, unspoken trauma, and the emotional costs of survival inside a patriarchal home.

The Tide Entertainment reports that the film doesn’t shy away from weighty themes by including PTSD, unresolved grief, and social inequality at the centre of the story. It is far removed from the soft-focus sentimentality that often defines Mother’s Day-style narratives.

It also marks Omotola’s directorial debut, a significant moment considering how long she has shaped Nollywood from the front of the camera. She stars in the film alongside a mix of familiar faces and newer talent, including Ifeanyi Kalu, Olumide Oworu, and Noray Nehita.

Beyond the film itself, Omotola’s interview touched on a tension that has been simmering in Nollywood for a while now: how movies are marketed in the age of TikTok. Addressing the growing expectation for actors and filmmakers to create viral dance content to promote their work, she didn’t mince words. The pressure, she said, is exhausting and unnatural.

For her, the industry wasn’t meant to function this way. Still, she was careful not to judge anyone else’s approach. Everyone invests differently, carries different risks, and should be allowed to promote their films however they see fit.

“Do whatever you can do. It’s exhausting, it’s not natural. For me, the film industry is not supposed to be like that. We are encouraging nonsense if we are doing that. It doesn’t mean that whoever is doing it is wrong.”

Her comments arrive not long after the public back-and-forth between Kunle Afolayan and Funke Akindele over marketing styles, a debate that quickly turned into a proxy war between prestige storytelling and viral strategy. Omotola’s stance sits somewhere calmer. She understands the shift social media has brought, but she’s also clear about her own boundaries.

Omotola’s critique about the lack of mother-daughter stories isn’t unfounded. In Nollywood, mothers often exist as symbols rather than people. They’re either saintly figures who pray endlessly for their children or villains whose cruelty drives the plot forward. What’s missing is intimacy, the negotiations, and the regrets. The love that exists alongside resentment and misunderstanding.

Films rarely sit with the emotional complexity of women raising daughters in systems that also failed them. There’s little room for mothers who made mistakes but are still trying, or daughters who love their mothers while questioning the damage they inherited. Mother’s Love attempts to occupy that space, offering a more grounded portrayal that reflects lived experience rather than archetypes.

That’s where the film’s potential impact lies, in the decision to centre a relationship that Nollywood has largely flattened. If it works, it could open the door for more stories that treat motherhood as a lived, evolving reality rather than a fixed moral position.

Mother’s Love, directed by and starring Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, had its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2025. The film is set for a nationwide cinema release in Nigeria on March 6, 2026.

Entertainment

Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn

Published

1 month ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes becomes Nollywood’s highest-grossing film of 2025, earning ?1.77bn in under four weeks.

Multi-award-winning actress and producer Funke Akindele has done it again, and this time, the numbers speak louder than applause.

Her latest film, Behind The Scenes, has officially emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2025, pulling in an astonishing ?1.767 billion in less than four weeks.

The Tide Entertainment reports that Funke Akindele Makes Box Office History as Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn
Earlier in its release cycle, the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, revealed that Behind The Scenes smashed five opening-weekend records, including the highest single-day gross ever recorded on Boxing Day, with ?129.5 million in one day. That announcement already hinted that something unusual was unfolding.

Reacting to the milestone, FilmOne described the moment as both surreal and communal, crediting audience loyalty for pushing the film to the top spot once again as the number-one movie of the weekend. And that sentiment feels accurate. This wasn’t just ticket sales; it was momentum.

What makes this achievement even more striking is that Behind The Scenes is Funke Akindele’s third film to cross the ?1 billion mark. Before now, there was A Tribe Called Judah, and then Everybody Loves Jenifa, a film that didn’t just open big, but went on to become the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time. At this point, it’s no longer a fluke. It’s a pattern.

Part of Behind The Scenes’ success lies in strategy. The film enjoyed advanced screenings on December 10 and 11, quietly building curiosity and conversation before its nationwide release on December 12. By the time it officially hit cinemas, audiences already felt like they needed to see it.

Then there’s the cast. The film brings together a lineup that feels deliberately stacked: Scarlet Gomez, Iyabo Ojo, Destiny Etiko, Tobi Bakre, Uche Montana, and several others. Familiar faces, strong fan bases, and performances that kept word-of-mouth alive long after opening weekend.

Still, beyond timing and casting, there’s something else at work here. Funke Akindele understands Nigerian audiences. Their humour, their pacing, their emotional buttons. She doesn’t guess, she calculates, experiments, listens, and refines. That understanding has slowly turned into box-office dominance.

Behind The Scenes crossing ?1.77 billion isn’t just another headline; it’s confirmation. Funke Akindele has moved from being a successful actress to becoming one of the most reliable commercial forces Nollywood has ever produced. Three-billion-naira films don’t happen by luck. They happen when storytelling, business sense, and audience trust align.

And right now, that alignment seems firmly in her hands.