IMAX set to build first theatre in Nigeria

This is indeed cheering news for movie buffs as entertainment giant IMAX, is poised to build its first theatre (cinema) in Nigeria soon.

Mr. Giovani Dolci, IMAX’s Vice President for Theatre Development in Europe, Middle East and Africa disclosed this laudable initiative during a recent visit to Nigeria courtesy of Mr. Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, a major stakeholder in the Nigerian film industry. 

While on the two-day visit, Giovanni and excited Chima who was accompanied by his legal adviser Mr. Biola Ladipo, boss of Screen Outdoor Open Air Cinema (SOOAC) and associate Mr. Hope Obioma Opara, President of Eko International Film Festival met with the Nigerian Bank of Industry at their Lagos office. They were welcomed by Mrs. Cynthia Uche Nwuka, Mr. Okechukwu Madu and Mr. Lawrence A. Ewah. The Bank of Industry is investing millions of dollars in the sustainable development of the Nigerian film industry with the co-funding of the film adaptation of the award winning novel “Half of A Yellow Sun” of famous Nigerian female novelist Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie to be released before Christmas.

They are also financing the building of the new movie theatres (called cinemas in Nigeria) and launching the largest distribution network for Nollywood with over 10, 000 sales outlets for Nigerian movies on DVD.

The bank also co-sponsored the launching of Chima’s nationwide Screen Naija One Village, One Cinema Project taking cinemas to communities in both the urban and rural areas in all the local government areas of Africa’s most populous nation with over 160 million people.
Mr. Dolci also met with other stakeholders in the Nigerian film industry, including Mr. Femi Odugbemi, CEO of Dvworx and Co-founder/Festival Director of the annual iRepresent International Documentary Forum and Patrick Lee, the General Manager of Ozone Cinemas in Lagos. Then he visited Ozone, Silverbird and Genesis Deluxe cinemas all located in Lagos and scheduled to also visit the Silverbird Cinemas in Accra, Ghana before returning to London.

“The first IMAX Cinema in Nigeria and likely also the first in West Africa will be built in Festac, one of the most urbanized towns in the Amuwo Odofin local government area of Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria and the most densely populated state in the country.

“Lagos has the biggest economy in West Africa and is the hub of the booming entertainment industry,” said Chima at the preliminary meeting of Dolci with Comrade Ayodele Adewale, the Executive Chairman of the Amuwo Odofin Local Government at their secretariat in Festac.”
The first IMAX Theatre in Nigeria is going to be ready before next Valentine and projected to attract over 500, 000 people weekly from all the communities in the Amuwo Odofin local government area and nearby towns.