Thirty three years after Agbara Nla became a household title among Nigerian audiences, the Mount Zion classic is returning to the big screen with Agbara Nla: The Return, scheduled for nationwide cinema release on October 1, 2026.
The faith based production is co produced by Mount Zion Film Productions, Sozo Films and Circuits, popularly known as Circuits TV, while Nile Entertainment is handling its theatrical distribution across Nigeria.
The cinema release marks a new chapter for a story that first reached audiences in 1993 through VHS tapes, television broadcasts and word of mouth, becoming part of the growth of Nigeria’s Christian film industry.
Written by Mike Bamiloye, the original Agbara Nla, also released in English as The Ultimate Power, connected with audiences through its themes of faith, family, spiritual conflict and Christian values.
For many Nigerians who grew up in the 1990s, Mount Zion productions provided a distinctive avenue for faith based storytelling, with Agbara Nla emerging as one of the titles associated with the film ministry’s growing influence.
The new production takes the familiar story into a contemporary cinema setting, with Damilola and Joshua Bamiloye, sons of Mike Bamiloye, serving as directors and bringing a new generation of the Bamiloye family into the creative leadership of the project.
Produced by Chris Odeh, Agbara Nla: The Return features Mike Bamiloye reprising his role as Isawuru, alongside Damilola Bamiloye as Kola, Philip Olubakin as Olaboye and Aanu Kolade Abiodun as Bose.
At the centre of the story is the growing influence of occult forces in the village of Muwonleru, with the film exploring spiritual warfare, faith, prayer and the power of God against the backdrop of contemporary Nigerian storytelling.
The move from home video to cinema also gives the production a new viewing experience. While the 1993 original belonged to the VHS and television era, the new film is positioned for audiences to experience the story collectively on the big screen.
For Nile Entertainment, the theatrical release provides an avenue to reconnect audiences familiar with the original film while introducing the story to viewers who may be encountering Agbara Nla for the first time.
Head of Theatrical Distribution at Nile Entertainment, Thelma Udeze, said the film’s return reflects the connection between its history and its new cinema audience. According to her, viewers who remember the original will be able to reconnect with the story, while a younger generation gets an opportunity to discover it.
Following its nationwide Nigerian cinema release on October 1, 2026, Agbara Nla: The Return is scheduled for an international theatrical release in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, with further details to be announced.