EbonyLife Group CEO, Mo Abudu, has spoken out against growing claims that some cinemas in Nigeria work with a so-called “cabal” in Nollywood to block certain films from getting fair screening time.

The issue has been trending after several filmmakers and movie lovers complained online that their films were either removed from cinema schedules, replaced without notice, or that cinema staff convinced customers to watch other movies after they had already bought tickets.

Appearing on ARISE Television, Abudu said cinema scheduling is driven by one thing — audience turnout — not favoritism, emotions, or secret alliances.
She acknowledged that the complaints have become common in the industry, a point also raised by veteran actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde during the discussion. Omotola noted that both actors and fans have shared similar experiences in recent weeks.

However, Abudu was clear that such practices do not happen at EbonyLife Cinemas.

“I can’t speak for every cinema, but I can speak for ours. We run a professional business. Our success depends on filling seats, not pushing people away,” she said.

To explain further, Abudu said it would make no business sense for cinemas to discourage viewers from seeing certain films, since empty halls still cost money to run.

“We have five cinemas and about 30 screenings every day. There is space for many films. What matters is whether people are coming to watch,” she explained.

She also addressed complaints about peak-time slots, saying audience interest does not always match expectations.

“If a film gets even half of peak hours, that still means hundreds of screenings in a month,” she said.

According to her, cinemas regularly adjust schedules based on performance because of expenses such as electricity, air conditioning and staff salaries.

“When a film is showing to just two or three people in a 100-seat hall, we have to rethink that time slot. That is business, not punishment,” she said.

To prove that there is no favoritism, Abudu revealed that a movie produced by her daughter, Temidayo Abudu, was removed from cinemas last year due to poor turnout.

“If it doesn’t perform, it gives way to another film. It doesn’t matter who made it,” she added.

The debate gained momentum during the last festive season, Nigeria’s busiest period for cinema releases. Several filmmakers accused cinema operators of unfair treatment.

Actress Toyin Abraham claimed her film Oversabi Aunty was wrongly marked as sold out and given unfavorable screening times. Director Niyi Akinmolayan also alleged that some cinemas collected ticket money without showing his movie Colours of Fire. Actress Ini Edo, who recently became a producer, described her experience as stressful, blaming what she called “gatekeeping and intimidation.”

Despite the backlash, Abudu insists cinema business must be guided by performance and not personal relationships.
“At the end of the day, it’s about return on investment. If people are not watching, the slot has to change,” she said.