Despite persistent challenges faced by Nigerian filmmakers, Nollywood continues to generate impressive box office returns, with stars Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham, and Femi Adebayo leading the charge.
Following the success of her 2024 blockbuster A Tribe Called Judah, which became the first Nigerian film to surpass the N1 billion mark, Akindele has once again broken records with her 2025 release, Behind The Scenes. Released on December 12, 2025, the film grossed N1,767,305,878 by the end of December and is on track to potentially cross the N2 billion threshold.
Akindele, whose filmography includes hits such as Jenifa, Return of Jenifa, and Omo Ghetto, expressed gratitude for the continued support of her fans, cast, crew, and distributors. “Forever grateful to God and my fans. Thank you for the love and support over the years,” she said.
Toyin Abraham also contributed significantly to Nollywood’s box office haul in 2025 with her release Oversabi Aunty, which earned N711 million in just 18 days. Abraham has established a consistent track record of box office successes, including Alakada: Bad and Boujee (2024), which peaked at N500 million in 15 weeks.
Meanwhile, Femi Adebayo took a slightly different approach with Ageshinkole 2, generating N417 million in 12 days. Adebayo employed a model that screened the film in selected community cinemas at a controlled ticket price of N3,000, making his work accessible to audiences who might otherwise miss out due to cost or distance. He noted that this approach was inspired by traveling theatre traditions and ensured piracy prevention through his partners at Circuit TV.
Collectively, the three filmmakers contributed a total of N2.895 billion to Nollywood’s GDP in 2025, showcasing the commercial potential of the industry even amid structural challenges.
However, the Nigerian cinema landscape still faces issues regarding revenue distribution. Filmmakers have raised concerns that cinema operators and distributors often earn more from ticket sales than the producers and investors themselves. Questions about screen allocation have also emerged, particularly around films distributed by FilmOne Entertainment, which owns a studio, distribution network, and cinema chains across Nigeria and parts of West Africa.
Both FilmOne and the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) have denied claims of favoritism, emphasizing that cinema scheduling is based on audience demand, real-time ticket sales, and market performance. CEAN further encouraged filmmakers to raise complaints through formal channels and suggested a roundtable dialogue to address concerns over screening times and access.
Despite these challenges, the success of Akindele, Abraham, and Adebayo underscores Nollywood’s continued growth, proving that with the right mix of talent, strategy, and audience engagement, the industry can deliver both artistic impact and financial returns.
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