Nile Entertainment’s new partnership with United International Pictures (UIP) is drawing support from cinema executives, who say the deal could expand the range of films available to audiences across the theatrical market.
The distributor was recently appointed UIP’s theatrical partner across Nigeria and Ghana, handling releases from Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures in both territories. The deal puts Nile Entertainment at the centre of distributing several major Hollywood titles scheduled for theatres this year.
At an industry presentation hosted by Nile, distribution and exhibition executives reflected on the significance of the partnership and what it could mean for cinema programming.
For Moses Babatope, CEO of Nile Media Entertainment Group, the appointment reflects the company’s drive and growing role in theatrical distribution.
“I think it’s a combination of a number of things,” Babatope said. “We are a young but very driven company. We’re innovative in approach and hungry for success. We’re excited about the start of what will be a great relationship.”
Babatope also pointed to the diversity of local viewing habits, describing the market as one where audiences already engage with content from multiple regions.
“Nigeria is such a dynamic market,” he said. “People watch soaps from Latin America, shows from the Philippines, Turkey, China, and India. In cinemas, audiences watch Bollywood, British films, Hollywood titles, and occasionally films from Ghana or South Africa.”
For him, sustaining cinema growth requires a balanced mix of titles.
“It’s important for us to continue to have a strong international offering so that we have diversity of slate and choice,” Babatope added. “That’s a very key component of the cinema business.”
From the studio side, Stefan Rheeder, marketing manager at UIP, said Nile’s enthusiasm and commitment to the films played a major role in the decision.
“In my personal opinion, it was absolute passion,” Rheeder said. “There was a real drive and hunger for the titles and the content we are bringing.”
Cinema operators who attended the presentation also expressed optimism about the upcoming slate.
Olamilekan Dauda Olawale, co-founder of Imagine Cinemas, highlighted the breadth of titles expected from the partnership.
“There are a lot of amazing titles this year,” he said. “The lineup is diverse, from children and family films to youth and other genres. That gives our audiences different varieties of movies to enjoy.”
At EbonyLife Cinemas, general manager Michael Williams said the slate is already generating audience interest.
“I’m super excited about all the titles we’re seeing from Universal and Paramount,” Williams said. “We’ve already had people asking about some of the films since last month.”
Patrick Lee, the chain’s head of operations at Viva Cinemas, pointed to the benefits of closer collaboration between exhibitors and distributors. He said the relationship with Nile has already improved communication around release strategies and audience engagement.
“The collaboration has been very beneficial,” Lee said. “The input we’re now able to share with UIP about how films can play in our cinemas has been fantastic.”
The UIP partnership comes as Nile Entertainment continues to expand its position across the theatrical value chain.
Earlier this year, the company strengthened its exhibition footprint through a management agreement with Viva Cinemas, securing access to additional screens in Ikeja, Ibadan, Ilorin, and Enugu.
The move gave the distributor greater certainty over screen availability and release strategies, strengthening its leverage in negotiations with studios and distributors.
With family films and major studio releases scheduled throughout the year, exhibitors say the partnership could help sustain theatrical attendance while complementing the continued growth of local productions, as a mix of global blockbusters and local hits is expected to remain central to cinema programming in the months ahead.
