Ileya 2026 Box Office Reaches 185 Million Naira, Up 40 Million From Prior Year | Box Office Radio

The Ileya 2026 box office raked in 185 million naira over two days, marking a significant jump from the 145 million naira recorded in 2025. The holiday period, which fell on May 27 and 28, coincided with Children's Day, creating a rare four-day weekend that boosted cinema turnout. Box Office Radio hosts Akintunde Damilare and Aondofa Shija analyzed the data in episode three of their series, revealing that the growth reflects a rising trend in audience engagement during the often-overlooked Eid-el-Kabir window. Call of My Life led the pack with 177.8 million naira in its second weekend, including 94.3 million naira during the Ileya period alone—a 40 percent increase from its opening weekend of 127 million naira. The romantic comedy's dominance defied expectations that a faith-based or Muslim-themed film would top the holiday frame.

Michael followed in second place, adding 38.3 million naira over the Ileya weekend to reach a cumulative 678.5 million naira in its fifth week, securing its spot among the top 10 highest-grossing Nigerian films. Mortal Kombat earned 19.5 million naira during the holiday stretch, bringing its total to 193.7 million naira by the end of its third week. The Boy Who Gave made 22.6 million naira in its second weekend, while Okanjuwa debuted with 22.1 million naira in its first full week after releasing on May 22. In 2025, the Ileya lineup was led by Iyalode, which had accumulated 104 million naira by the holiday Monday. Other films that year included Ori: The Rebirth, Red Circle, Mission Impossible, and Ballerina. The shift in audience preferences from 2025 to 2026 highlights a growing appetite for diverse genres during the Eid period, with romantic and biographical films outperforming traditional expectations.

Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →