According to a historical milestone report by BellaNaija, Nollywood powerhouse Funke Akindele has officially cemented her status as the industry’s most bankable director after her latest film, Behind The Scenes, surpassed the ₦1.1 billion mark in just 17 days. This achievement makes it the fastest film in West African history to reach the billion-naira milestone, breaking records previously set by her own blockbuster hits.
The film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, confirmed that the project recorded the highest single-day gross in Nigerian cinema history on Boxing Day, earning a staggering ₦129.5 million. Akindele is now the first filmmaker to deliver three consecutive ₦1.1 billion films, following the massive success of A Tribe Called Judah and Everybody Loves Jenifa.
Validating reports from Vanguard and The Nation underscore the magnitude of this feat. Vanguard noted that the ‘Queen of the Box Office’ has ‘redefined expectations for theatrical releases,’ while The Nation quoted FilmOne’s official statement: ‘This win is for all of us as she becomes the only director to cross ₦1B+ three different times.’
Echotitbits take: Funke Akindele has cracked the code for Nigerian cinema by blending relatable family drama with high-tier production value. Her dominance suggests that local audiences are increasingly choosing high-quality Nollywood stories over Hollywood imports during the festive season. Expect a major expansion of her ‘Jenifa’ universe or a high-stakes streaming deal as global platforms look to partner with the industry’s undisputed revenue leader.
Source: Vanguard – vanguardngr.com/2026/01/nollywoods-biggest-box-office-movies-of-2025-why-funke-akindele-remains-the-queen/ January 4, 2026
Photo Credit: Vanguard
