Nollywood filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele has strengthened her legacy in African cinema as her latest film, Behind The Scenes, surpassed the ₦2 billion mark at the box office, becoming the first Nollywood production to achieve the feat.
The milestone was announced on Monday by the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, via a post on X. The company confirmed that the movie has generated ₦2,103,039,706 in ticket sales.
FilmOne described the achievement as record-shattering, noting that Behind The Scenes is the first Nollywood film in Africa to cross the ₦2 billion threshold. The distributor added that the title now stands as the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time in Africa, as well as the top-earning Nollywood release in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
According to FilmOne, the success further solidifies Akindele’s position as Africa’s most commercially successful filmmaker, ranking her as the highest-grossing writer, director and producer in West Africa’s history.
The distributor also revealed that Akindele has become the first filmmaker to top the African box office for three consecutive years, a landmark achievement it described as unprecedented in the region’s film industry.
Thanking cinema audiences for their support, FilmOne said viewers “believed in the magic of storytelling,” adding that the film’s run represents not just a commercial triumph but a cultural movement driven by strong audience loyalty and word-of-mouth.
The ₦2 billion mark reflects a steady rise from earlier milestones. The film had previously crossed ₦1 billion before climbing to ₦1.77 billion, already placing it among Nollywood’s most successful releases. Its continued growth has now secured its place at the top of the industry’s all-time rankings.
Behind The Scenes stars Scarlet Gomez in the lead role and features an ensemble cast including 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.
The film centres on the theme of black tax, exploring the emotional, social and financial pressures placed on individuals expected to support extended family members. This storyline has resonated strongly with audiences, especially young adults, helping to sustain cinema attendance across Nigeria and the wider West African market.
Fans have credited the film’s outstanding performance to relatable storytelling, a strong cast, aggressive marketing and Akindele’s consistent track record as a commercially reliable filmmaker.
The success of Behind The Scenes adds to Akindele’s growing list of box office records. Her previous projects, including Everybody Loves Jenifa, achieved rapid earnings growth and set multiple opening-week and cumulative revenue milestones, reinforcing her status as Nollywood’s most bankable figure.
With its cinema run still ongoing and international markets contributing to revenue, Behind The Scenes is widely regarded as a landmark moment for Nollywood’s commercial growth, highlighting the industry’s increasing ability to deliver billion-naira blockbusters with global appeal.
