Nigerian filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele has set a new benchmark in Nollywood as her latest film, Behind The Scenes, crossed the ₦2 billion mark at the box office, becoming the highest grossing Nigerian film of all time.
The record breaking milestone was announced by Akindele via her verified X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram accounts, where she shared an official flier showing the film’s cumulative earnings at ₦2,103,039,706 as of January 12, 2026. The film achieved the feat just weeks after its nationwide release.
Reacting to the achievement, Akindele expressed gratitude and reflected on the journey behind the success. “Records are milestones, not the mission. From A Tribe Called Judah grossing 1B to Behind The Scenes crossing 2B and still counting, this is God in motion. And i’m most grateful to my maker and return all the glory to him. The lesson remains unchanged: serve the story, respect the audience, refine the craft, and let the work earn its applause.”
The flier shared by the filmmaker highlighted multiple historic accomplishments linked to the project, including Behind The Scenes becoming the highest grossing Nollywood title of all time, the first West African film to cross the ₦2 billion box office mark, and the highest grossing Nollywood film in the UK and Ireland. It also credited Akindele as Africa’s highest grossing filmmaker, director, producer and writer of all time based on cumulative box office returns.
Behind The Scenes was released nationwide in December and recorded strong cinema attendance across major locations in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Accra. The film sustained its momentum through the holiday season and into the new year, a period known for peak cinema traffic.
The drama centres on Aderonke “Ronky-Fella” Faniran, a successful real estate entrepreneur whose generosity and commitment to helping others begin to strain her personal life. The story explores themes of emotional labour, family pressure, boundaries and the cost of success, particularly for women in leadership roles.
With this latest achievement, Behind The Scenes becomes Akindele’s third film to cross the ₦1 billion mark, further cementing her dominance at the Nigerian box office. Industry analysts say the film’s performance reflects growing audience confidence in locally produced cinema and the continued expansion of Nollywood’s commercial reach.
Ademide Adebayo
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