In an unprecedented milestone for African cinema, celebrated Nigerian filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele has been officially declared the highest-grossing filmmaker of all time on the continent.
This historic achievement was confirmed by industry distributor FilmOne Entertainment on Monday, following the record-shattering performance of her latest feature, Behind the Scenes.
The film has become the first in Nollywood history to cross the monumental ₦2 billion mark at the box office, a feat it accomplished in record time. This triumph cements Akindele’s status as the undisputed “Queen of the Box Office” and establishes several industry firsts: she is the first producer to deliver three consecutive ₦1 billion-plus films within a single calendar year and the first filmmaker to top the annual African box office charts for three straight years (2024-2026).
Behind the Scenes has also become the highest-grossing Nollywood film ever in Africa, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Its success was fueled by a phenomenal holiday performance, including a single-day record of ₦129.5 million on Boxing Day 2025.
Industry analysts note that Akindele’s unparalleled consistency—her films now account for over ₦6 billion in collective earnings—has fundamentally reshaped the commercial landscape of Nigerian cinema.
The film continues its historic run in theatres across Nigeria, the UK, Canada, and the United States.
