Damilola was reacting to claims that ‘Agbara Nla: The Return’ pulled in over N71m from single-day screenings after its official release.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Filmmaker Damilola Bamiloye, son of veteran Nigerian film actor, dramatist, and evangelist Mike Bamiloye, has attributed the wave his new movie, ‘Agbara Nla: The Return’, is making to the grace of God after the film shattered records during its preview run.
Damilola, who is one of the directors behind the modern reimagining of the Mount Zion Film Productions’ beloved 1993 Christian classic, made his feelings known in a recent post shared on his verified Instagram handle.
According to Nigerian box office analysis and consultancy platform Nigerian Box Office (@NGAboxoffice), the film generated N70m from 12,134 admissions during the preview window.
Both figures were reported as historic, and the admissions tally represented the biggest first-day figure recorded in Nigeria in 2026, while the N70m gross stood as the largest first-day earning for a Nollywood title.
The platform also identified the single-day preview performance as the biggest ever recorded in West Africa.
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The Nile Entertainment, the film’s distributor, went further in its announcement, describing the achievement as a landmark moment for faith-based cinema on the continent.
According to the outfit, Agbara Nla: The Return claimed the biggest first-day gross for a Nollywood title, the biggest opening ever for a faith-based film, and the No. 1 spot for the week.
”From the biggest first-day gross for a Nollywood title to the biggest faith-based opener of all time, the biggest single-day previews in West Africa (₦71M+), and the #1 movie of the week,” the distributor stated.
Reflecting on the feat and the entire production journey, Damilola described the process as being guided by divine direction at every phase of bringing the project to life.
”From pre-production to production, post-production, and distribution, we have seen the faithfulness of God every step of the way. What began as a vision has become a reality, and we know that God alone made it possible. Through every challenge, every breakthrough, every delay, every provision, and every open door, His hand has been evident. We give all the glory, honour, and praise to Jesus Christ for the journey of AGBARA NLA – The Return. This is God’s doing, and we are grateful,” he wrote.
