Funke Akindele emerges Africa’s highest-grossing filmmaker with ₦2.1bn sales

Funke Akindele has made history as Africa’s highest-grossing filmmaker after her latest movie, “Behind The Scenes”, grossed over ₦2.1 billion at the box office.

This milestone was confirmed on Monday by the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, in a post on Instagram. According to the company, “Behind The Scenes” has now grossed ₦2,103,039,706 in ticket sales, making it the first Nollywood production to surpass ₦2 billion at the African box office.

FilmOne said the achievement positions “Behind The Scenes” as the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time in Africa, while also becoming the top-grossing Nollywood release in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Reacting to the support from cinema audiences, the distributor thanked viewers for believing in the magic of storytelling. She describes the film’s run as more than a commercial success, but a cultural movement driven by audience loyalty and strong word of mouth.

The feat caps a remarkable run for the film, which had already demonstrated strong momentum weeks earlier. Technext previously reported that “Behind The Scenes” crossed the ₦500 million mark within just two weeks of release, setting a record as the fastest Nollywood film to reach the milestone and becoming the highest-grossing title in Nigerian cinemas at the time.

Box office data from FilmOne Entertainment and the Nigerian Box Office indicate that the film grossed ₦514 million during its initial run, while Oversabi Aunty, produced by Toyin Abraham, debuted in second place with ₦100 million.

The film’s opening weekend alone generated over ₦200 million from 34,548 tickets sold, setting five new opening-weekend records for 2025. Advance screenings brought in ₦27.2 million, the highest ever recorded for a Nollywood title. Early showings in the UK sold out multiple screens with more than 1,550 admissions.

Read also: Funke Akindele’s ‘Behind The Scenes’ hits ₦500M in 2 weeks as Oversabi Aunty makes strong debut

About the movie, Behind The Scenes

The Nollywood movie Behind The Scenes, produced by Funke Akindele, was released in cinemas on December 12, 2025, quickly becoming a major box office hit in Nigeria and West Africa. 

This is a contemporary Nollywood drama that blends social realism with commercial storytelling. The film centres on the concept of “black tax”, the unspoken expectation that financially stable individuals must shoulder the economic and emotional burden of extended family members.

With a mix of emotional, social and financial pressures placed on individuals expected to support extended family members, this subject matter resonated strongly with audiences, particularly young adults. It also contributed to sustained cinema attendance across Nigeria and the wider West African market.

The cast of the movie includes Funke Akindele, Iyabo Ojo, Destiny Etiko, Tobi Bakre, Uche Montana, Uzor Arukwe, Ini Dima-Okojie, Adebowale “Mr Macaroni,” Ibrahim Chatta and Kamo State, among others.

Fans and industry observers attribute the film’s exceptional performance to a combination of relatable storytelling, strong casting, aggressive marketing and Akindele’s consistent track record as one of Nollywood’s most commercially successful filmmakers.

With its cinema run still ongoing and international markets continuing to contribute to its revenue, “Behind The Scenes” is widely seen as a defining moment for Nollywood’s commercial evolution, highlighting the industry’s growing capacity to deliver billion-naira blockbusters with global appeal.

About Funke Akindele

Funke Akindele is an award-winning Nigerian actress, filmmaker and producer, widely regarded as one of Nollywood’s most influential and bankable figures. She rose to national fame with the television series Jenifa’s Diary, which later evolved into a successful film franchise.

Over the years, Akindele has built a reputation for delivering commercially successful projects that blend social commentary with mainstream appeal. Her previous releases, including Everybody Loves Jenifa, have set multiple opening-week and cumulative box office records, cementing her status as a dominant force in African cinema.

Beyond acting, she has distinguished herself as a director, writer and producer, consistently pushing Nollywood’s box office boundaries and expanding its global footprint.

Read also: Funke Akindele’s Everybody Loves Jenifa sets new record, earns N206 million in opening weekend

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