Abdulsalam Hammad
Nollywood box-office queen, Funke Akindele, has shattered another record as her latest film, “Behind The Scenes,” hits N1.2 billion at the Nigerian box office in just 21 days, becoming the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2026.
The film, which premiered in cinemas nationwide on October 3, has enjoyed an unprecedented run, according to figures released this morning by FilmOne Entertainment and the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria, CEAN.
In its opening weekend alone, the comedy-drama raked in N320 million, the biggest opening for any Nollywood title this year. It crossed the N1 billion mark on its 18th day, beating Akindele’s own previous record set by “A Tribe Called Judah” which took 21 days to reach the same milestone.
”Behind The Scenes” tells the story of a determined female film producer navigating betrayal, comedy and hidden truths in the cut-throat Lagos movie industry. The star-studded cast includes Akindele, Femi Adebayo, Bimbo Ademoye, Timini Egbuson, and veteran actress Patience Ozokwor.
Directed and co-produced by Akindele herself, the film has sold over 250,000 tickets and is still showing in over 80 cinemas across Nigeria.
Reacting to the milestone on her Instagram page today, the actress wrote: “We did it! 1.2BN! Thank you Nigeria for loving this story. Thank you for showing up in cinemas. God did!”
The post has attracted congratulatory messages from colleagues including Toyin Abraham, Mercy Aigbe and Iyabo Ojo.
With this feat, Akindele becomes the only Nigerian filmmaker in history to have three films gross over N1 billion — “A Tribe Called Judah” (2023), “Everybody Loves Jenifa” (2024), and now “Behind The Scenes” (2026).
Industry analysts say the success cements Akindele’s dominance of the modern Nollywood box office era, with no other director coming close to her commercial streak in the last three years.
Funke Akindele makes history again in new movie premiere
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