By Ayomide Otitoju
The Federal Government has commended actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele following the historic box office success of her film, Behind the Scenes.
In a post on X on Monday, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) described Akindele’s achievement as a milestone for Nollywood and Nigeria’s creative industry, noting that the film had crossed ₦2.1 billion in ticket sales.
“Funke Akindele remains in front with Behind the Scenes. Big screens, big stars, and even bigger numbers,” the agency wrote, highlighting the film’s overseas earnings of over $111,256 in Canada and $190,249 across North America, a testament to Nollywood’s growing global appeal.
The NOA further noted that the film is now the highest-grossing Nollywood production in Africa, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, making Akindele the first filmmaker to top the African box office for three consecutive years. Behind the Scenes first crossed the ₦2 billion milestone on January 12, cementing Akindele’s status as Africa’s highest-grossing filmmaker.
FilmOne Entertainment, which confirmed the record, described the success as unprecedented in Nigeria’s film industry.
Reacting to the milestone, Akindele credited discipline, faith, and commitment to storytelling, saying, “Records are milestones, not the mission. Serve the story, respect the audience, refine the craft, and let the work earn its applause.”
The government’s recognition underscores calls for sustained support for Nigeria’s creative sector, as locally produced films continue to attract record-breaking audiences both at home and abroad.
