From Navy Town to Nationwide: How FilmHub Is Bringing Cinema to the People

In May 2025, a quiet but powerful experiment began in Navy Town, Ojo, Lagos State. FilmHub, a Nigerian film technology company, launched a small community cinema with no paid ads, no popcorn sales, and no celebrity events.

And still, it worked.

Within just 10 days, this low cost cinema made over ₦400,000, showing that everyday Nigerians will pay to watch good films if the cinemas are close and affordable.

A Small Launch, A Big Response

On May 23, 2025, the cinema launched with Wives on Strike 3 by Nollywood star Omoni Oboli. Tickets were ₦3,000 for the general public and ₦2,000 for Navy Wives. Despite having no food sales or ads, the turnout was strong with over 150 people paying to see the film in the first few screenings.

The setup was simple a clean room, a projector, decent seating, and good sound. Yet, the response proved that high end infrastructure isn’t a requirement for high impact cinema.

Solving a Long-standing Problem

West Africa is severely under screened. According to the 2024 Nigerian Box Office Yearbook by FilmOne Entertainment, there are only 352 cinema screens in 107 locations across the region one for every 4.5 million people.

Most of these are in urban malls, out of reach for the average Nigerian. FilmHub's mission is to break this limitation by building 1,000 community cinemas across Nigeria within two years

Each FilmHub site is designed to be low cost, flexible, and easy to run. The company partners with local operators who use basic digital tools to manage daily activities. The cinemas are equipped with projectors, screens, solar backup power, and software that handles ticketing, tracking, and payments.

Revenue from each screening is shared between the film distributor, the location host (like Navy Town Barracks), and FilmHub. Payments are automated using Fusion Intelligence software meaning filmmakers and rights holders get paid the very next day.

It’s a modern, tech powered system that puts control and money back into the hands of creators and communities.

What’s Showing? And What’s Coming?

So far, FilmHub Ojo has screened titles through Nile Entertainment. But bigger partnerships are on the way. Talks are ongoing with major Nollywood distributors like Tribe Nation Theatrical Distribution and FilmOne Entertainment to make first run films available in community cinemas within weeks of release.

FilmHub has also built a secure delivery system to protect content from piracy and ensure smooth, legal screenings.

More Than Entertainment

The vision goes beyond entertainment. FilmHub cinemas can also be used for educational purposes, cultural screenings, and local storytelling. Schools can bring students in during the day. Independent filmmakers can finally show their work to real audiences. Local job opportunities are also created through venue management, event planning, and technical support.

What the Future Holds

FilmHub plans to open 10 more cinemas by July 2025, with hundreds more to follow using a franchise style model. Operators will be licensed, trained, and supported with equipment and programming all backed by partnerships with development finance institutions.

CEO Kolade Adewoye puts it best:

“This is not just about movies. It’s about culture, opportunity, and building a system that works for everyone not just the elite.”

After years of panel talks and pitch decks, FilmHub has built something real a working model that brings cinema closer to the people. It's not about luxury. It’s about local access, fair revenue, and community empowerment.

If the Navy Town pilot is anything to go by, Nigeria may be entering a new era of film one that’s local, sustainable, and deeply connected to the audience it’s been missing.