Nollywood’s biggest box office movies of 2025: Why Funke Akindele remains the queen

By Ayo Onikoyi

In what has become a trend, Nigerian “Queen of the Box Office” Funke Akindele led again in commercial success at the cinema in 2025. Her 2025 release “Behind The Scenes” emerged as Nollywood’s biggest box office movie of the year, smashing records and crossing the ₦1 billion mark in total revenue. The film, a dramatic story exploring family, loyalty, and social pressures, opened on December 12 and quickly became a nationwide phenomenon. Within just weeks of release, it amassed over ₦1.1 billion at the Nigerian box office, placing it among the most successful Nollywood films ever.

Other notable films which had a great box office success include “Oversabi Aunty” by Toyin Abraham which grossed over N380M within eleven days of its release and Gingerrr, an action-comedy fillm released nationwide in late September, with a strong debut weekend of ₦82 million. Gingerrr went on with a total box office gross of around ₦378 million, which placed it among the year’s top-grossing Nigerian films.

Other biggest box office movies of 2025 include Reel Love, Labake Olododo, Ori: The Rebirth, Warlord: Olori Ogun, A Very Dirty Christmas and a few others.

Why Funke Akindele is the undisputed “Queen of the Nigerian Box Office”

Funke Akindele’s reign at the Nigerian box office is no accident; it is the result of consistency, audience understanding, and an unmatched ability to deliver commercially successful films year after year. In an industry where box office hits are hard-won and often unpredictable, Akindele has turned success into a pattern. From comedy to family drama, her films have not only dominated cinemas but have also repeatedly rewritten Nollywood’s box office history, earning her the widely accepted title of Queen of the Nigerian Box Office.

The modern phase of Akindele’s box office dominance gained momentum with Omo Ghetto: The Saga, which became a cultural moment and set new commercial benchmarks upon its release. The film broke opening weekend and cumulative box office records, proving that locally made comedies could compete fiercely with foreign titles in Nigerian cinemas. Its success redefined expectations for theatrical releases and established Akindele as Nollywood’s most bankable star of the era.

She followed that landmark achievement with Battle on Buka Street, another record-breaking film that confirmed her box office appeal was no fluke. The movie resonated strongly with Nigerian audiences through its relatable family themes, humor, and emotional depth, becoming one of the highest-grossing Nollywood films ever at the time of its release. With this, Akindele became the first filmmaker to deliver consecutive box office-smashing titles, an unprecedented feat in Nigerian cinema.

In 2023, Akindele raised the bar even higher with A Tribe Called Judah, which made history as the first Nollywood film to cross the ₦1 billion mark at the Nigerian box office. The film’s massive commercial success was a turning point for the industry, proving that Nigerian films could achieve billion-naira theatrical runs purely on local appeal. It also cemented Akindele’s status as a filmmaker capable of mobilising audiences across age groups, regions, and social classes.

Her dominance continued in 2025 with Behind The Scenes, which once again shattered box office records and reinforced her position at the top. The film achieved one of the fastest climbs to the billion-naira club, setting new benchmarks for opening days and holiday earnings. At this point, Akindele was no longer just breaking records—she was competing against her own previous milestones, a rare position for any filmmaker.

Beyond the numbers, Funke Akindele’s box office supremacy lies in her deep understanding of the Nigerian audience. Her films consistently blend humor, strong storytelling, social themes, and high production value, making them both entertaining and culturally resonant. She has also mastered timing, often releasing films during peak cinema periods such as December, when competition is fiercest. By repeatedly delivering crowd-pulling stories that translate into ticket sales, Funke Akindele has not only dominated the box office but has also redefined what commercial success looks like in Nollywood—earning her, unequivocally, the crown as “Nigeria’s Box Office Queen”.

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