Nigeria Cinema Day – The True Experience

On the 21st of September 2024, Nigeria celebrated its second Nigeria Cinema Day, led by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN). The initiative aimed to make cinema tickets more affordable by reducing prices to 1,000 naira nationwide, a significant drop from the usual 4,000 to 5,000 naira. This move was designed to revive the cinema-going culture, making it accessible to a wider audience, especially for those who found regular ticket prices unaffordable.

According to CEAN’s National Chairman, Ope Ajayi, the discounted price for the Nigeria Cinema Day, sought to tackle rising ticket costs and celebrate Nigeria’s bright film industry. The results were encouraging, with over 16,000 tickets sold across the country, marking a 196% increase from the 5,458 tickets sold the previous weekend. However, this was still a 25% decline from the 21,556 tickets recorded during the inaugural Cinema Day in 2023, based on data from the Nigerian Box Office.

Despite the promising turnout, some cinema operators took advantage of the event, much to the dismay of moviegoers. Some cinemas advertised the 1,000 naira ticket price but added a “terms and conditions apply” clause, which translated into an obligation to purchase snacks as a condition for receiving the discounted ticket.

For instance, FilmHouse Cinema Samonda, Ibadan, insisted that customers buy popcorn priced at 3,500 naira, effectively raising the cost to 4,500 naira—more than the usual ticket price, defeating the essence of the discount.

A particular group of friends faced this exploitation firsthand when they were informed that they could not buy just drinks, which were worth 1,000 naira each, to qualify for the reduced ticket price. Instead, they were compelled to buy popcorn, pushing their expenses far beyond what they had planned for the day. This situation was not unique, as similar practices were reported in other states, with some cinemas refusing to honour the 1,000 naira ticket price.

This wasn’t an isolated incident. Across several states, similar complaints surfaced, sparking discussions on X (formerly known as Twitter). A user, @ariiyikeLomo, expressed her frustration about the Genesis Cinema at Maryland Mall, where tickets were indeed reduced to 1,000 naira, but purchasing popcorn at 5,500 naira was mandatory. Her tweet read, “I was looking forward to this only to go to Genesis cinema at Maryland mall and tickets are 1k but I have to buy popcorn. Guess how much popcorn is? 5500!!! Why now?? This defeats the whole purpose of doing this in the first place.”

Her sentiments quickly gained traction, with other users expressing their dissatisfaction. @sir_yuwa remarked, “Nigerian businesses will always find a way to sneak in that profit margin,” while @iam_khrystal added, “As if I knew Genesis Maryland would find a way to scam people. Not nice of them at all.” The skepticism was palpable, with @olajide_a commenting, “You want to watch a movie for 1k? You should have known it’s a bait.” Others confirmed similar experiences, with @petite_kara stating that she experienced the same issue at Maryland Mall.

The consensus? Nigerian cinemas had turned a day meant for fun and affordability into another opportunity for exploitation.

Some moviegoers found themselves both pleasantly surprised by the reduced ticket prices and frustrated by the unexpected additional costs. What could have been a perfect opportunity to encourage a shared love for cinema and celebrate the magic of Nollywood was overshadowed by the exploitation and opportunism exhibited by some cinema operators.

This widespread exploitation paints a clear picture of why many Nigerians are always skeptical about things like this. While some patrons genuinely enjoyed the discounted rates, many others felt deceived. This mix of genuine goodwill and blatant exploitation underscores a deeper problem within the Nigerian cinema landscape, where even well-meaning initiatives often come with hidden catches. It’s this recurring pattern that leaves Nigerians skeptical, and rightfully so.

Even with what appeared to be a genuine attempt by CEAN to make cinema more accessible, some cinemas took advantage of the situation, turning what could have been a joyous occasion into one riddled with frustration and disappointment.

For future editions of Nigeria Cinema Day to truly achieve their goal of affordability and inclusivity, the CEAN must enforce stricter guidelines to prevent cinemas from taking advantage of the initiative. Otherwise, this potentially fantastic tradition might end up being just another case study of how not to treat customers.