Funke Akindele Cements Box Office Dominance with Record N5.3 Billion Gross
Nollywood powerhouse Funke Akindele has achieved an unprecedented milestone, ranking as the number-one filmmaker at the African box office for three consecutive years. According to official data from regional cinema distributors and industry trackers, her films have accrued a combined domestic gross of N5.3 billion. This historic performance solidifies her position as Africa’s highest-grossing filmmaker of all time, a title encompassing her work as a director, producer, and screenwriter.
Her latest cinematic offering, “Behind The Scenes” (2025), has been a monumental success. Released under her Funke Ayotunde Akindele Network (FAAN) and distributed by FilmOne Entertainment, the film has officially closed its theatrical run with a staggering N2.103 billion. This figure surpasses her previous hit, “Everybody Loves Jenifa,” making “Behind The Scenes” the highest-grossing film in West African history. The achievement is particularly notable given the current economic climate, where inflation and consumer spending pressures have made theatrical success increasingly difficult to achieve, a challenge also felt across sectors like the manufacturing sector tops in investment discussions.
The film’s box office performance broke multiple records. It crossed the N1.1 billion mark within just 17 days, making it the fastest film in West Africa to reach the billion-naira milestone. Furthermore, it logged the highest single-day gross in regional history, earning N129.5 million on Boxing Day. FilmOne Entertainment confirmed the figures, attributing the success to sustained audience turnout and powerful word-of-mouth. This consistent audience engagement is a testament to Akindele’s storytelling prowess, much as clear communication is vital when the fg clarifies subject matters of public importance.
Directed by Akindele and Tunde Olaoye, “Behind The Scenes” is a 2-hour-24-minute drama featuring an ensemble cast. The film follows Aderonke “Ronky-Fella” Faniran, a successful real estate entrepreneur. Akindele previously disclosed the film’s production budget exceeded N1 billion, highlighting the rising scale and cost of top-tier Nollywood productions. From her breakout role to founding Scene One Productions, Funke Akindele has consistently delivered box-office-defining titles, reshaping the commercial landscape of Nigerian cinema with a focus that persists even as other news stories, such as gunmen kidnap 5 or Ogun records 502 in a different context, capture national attention. Her journey reflects a determined vision for the industry, echoing a sentiment of progress where leaders assert nigeria will continue to evolve in its creative and economic ambitions.
