By Olayinka Ajayi

Leading movie critics and the Executive Director of Sky  film distribution, Mr Akaninyene Udo Macauley, and its Director, Mr.Jonah Ebhodaghe Eromosele, have said President Bola Tinubu’s $1 trillion economy agenda could easily be achieved in the cinemas and entertainment industry.

They stated this at the Sky cinema during the movie premiere of ‘Red Alert’, in Lagos recently.

Fielding questions from newsmen, Macauley acknowledged that, “although the industry is filled with some challenges, the movie and cinema business is beautiful. The prospect is more than the challenges. It is one of the industries that brings direct and foreign income in Nigeria.

“You will be shocked to hear that cinemas are not in all states in Nigeria. This is what the federal government and investors should put into consideration. Nigerians enjoy cinema movies at large.

“Currently, we have above 70 cinemas across Nigeria with most of them in Lagos. But we need more than that.”

Asked the challenges of online streaming apps like Netflix, he said, “Cinema business is a form of social business that converges people. Online streaming does not stop people coming out to converge at the cinemas. For instance if Jumia, Konga among others does not stop people from going out to shop.”