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Nollywood filmmaker and actor Funke Akindele has strengthened her legacy in African cinema after her latest film, Behind The Scenes, surpassed the ₦2 billion mark at the box office, becoming the first Nollywood production to reach the milestone.
FilmOne Entertainment, the film’s distributor, disclosed the achievement on Monday via X, confirming that the movie has generated ₦2,103,039,706 in ticket sales.
Announcing the record, FilmOne said the film had officially broken multiple records, making it the first Nollywood title in Africa to cross ₦2 billion in box office revenue.
The distributor hinted that Behind the Scenes now ranks 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.
FilmOne also said the success further cements Akindele’s position as Africa’s most commercially successful filmmaker, describing her as the highest-grossing writer, director, and producer in West African film history.
According to the distributor, Akindele has now become the first filmmaker to top the African box office for three consecutive years, an achievement it described as unprecedented in the region’s film industry.
Thanking cinema audiences for their support, FilmOne said viewers’ belief in storytelling powered the film’s success, noting that its run represents not just a commercial triumph but a cultural movement driven by loyalty and strong word-of-mouth.
The ₦2 billion milestone marks a major leap from the film’s earlier records.
After first crossing ₦1 billion, Behind The Scenes climbed to ₦1.77 billion before continuing its surge to become Nollywood’s highest-grossing title to date.
The film 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, alongside other established and emerging actors.
At its core, Behind The Scenes explores the issue of black tax, highlighting the emotional, social, and financial pressures placed on individuals expected to support extended family members.
The theme has resonated strongly with audiences, particularly young adults, sustaining high cinema attendance across Nigeria and the wider West African market.
Fans credit the film’s exceptional performance to its relatable storytelling, strong ensemble cast, aggressive marketing and Akindele’s consistent appeal as a filmmaker known for delivering commercially successful projects.
The film’s success adds to Akindele’s growing box office record, following earlier hits such as Everybody Loves Jenifa, which set several opening-week and cumulative revenue benchmarks.
With its cinema run ongoing and international markets boosting revenue, Behind The Scenes stands as a defining moment in Nollywood’s commercial growth and its capacity to deliver billion-naira blockbusters with global reach.
