Entertainment
2016: Nollywood’s Year Of Biggest Chart Bursters
Going by publicised
Box Office records alone, 2016 is turning out to be a far better year for Nigerian films than 2015. 2016 is barely few weeks away from ending and so far, after what started out slowly, it is safe to say that this has been a good year for Nollywood. Going by publicised box office records alone, it is turning out to be a far better Nigerian film year than 2015. That year’s highest grossing film, Mo Abudu’s ‘fifty’ grossed N50m. so far in 2016 three films have comfortably crossed that mark with one of them set to make double of that.
Fifty, Road to yesterday, Taxi Driver, Oko Ashewo, The First Lady, Tempting Fate and The Visit were the highest grossing films of 2015, making about N150.63million among them. That is about N11m short of the record-shattering N161m grossed by AY’s 30 days in Atlanta which has since held on to the record as the highest grossing film in Nollywood.
AY also leads the pack in 2016 with his new film, “A Trip to Jamaica” having grossed N82m so far after just 10 days in the cinemas. According to figures released exclusively by Film One Distribution ‘the film has been playing in all 28 cinema locations across Nigeria, according to Moses Babatope’ the Group ED/CEO Film One Distribution, Generally, there had been better performance in the Box Office by Nigerian films. This is reflected in the figures obtained recently.
1. A Trip to Jamaica – N82m (figure in 10 days only)
2. Wives on strike – N67m
3. The CEO – N60m (includes figures from Ghana)
4. Fifty – N44m (January to March 2016 only)
5. Ghana must go – N32m
Bovi’s ‘it’s Her Day’ is believed to be another box office success story even though official figures were not available as at the time of this report. The 44m made by Fifty, this year adds to the N50 million it made during the closing part of 2015. N94 million is not a bad figure. The projection with A Trip to Jamaica is that it is on course to take over the number one spot from 30 days in Atlanta within the next two weeks of its stay in the Cinemas across Nigeria, as it looks set to continue to screen to sell-out audience.
By October 25, it was projected that the film would have made at least N130m which is about N31m shy of the record it is looking to break. Stakeholders in the industry have described this development as a welcome one, saying that this will give way to more opportunities for the industry. AMVCA-winning actor, Tope Tedela said, it is good to have these kinds of positive developments where people can recoup their investments because no one just wants to act and make a film, at least we also want finances that can make a solid foundation. So, yeah I’m happy”.
‘AY has over the years created a brand with which he now promotes his content. He has that likeability and he has the platform. Filmmaker, Olu Yomi Ososanya highlighted before continuing. ‘Now, the cinemas can see that Nigerian films can do big numbers and they will now see that giving him a favourable slot also helped. “A Trip to Jamaica screens an average of four times across cinemas.
Producer, director and writer, Tope Oshin whose documentary, ‘Amaka’s kin’ is making its debut at the BFI film festival in London said. “This is definitely exciting news It’s just my hope that we can grow our cinema audience to the point where this kind of Box Office successes will soon be possible for films of other genres as well.”
Part of a report by Jude Martins, a film critic and public relations expert, as well as Moses Babatope and published recently read, ‘With the second half pregnant with intriguing film such as Kunle Afolayan’s The CEO, the much anticipated ’76. The Arbitration, 93 Days, when love happens again, The party and of course, Ayo Makun’s steaming a Trip to Jamaica, we can confidently anticipate a new dawn in Nollywood’s annual gross box office return”.
Infact, those in the know are optimistic about a possible 800 million naira in annual box office takings which even with the devaluation of the naira will be close to $3 million. While the N800m box office takings projection might not seem feasible any longer this year, other highly anticipated releases scheduled for later this year make 2016 a better year than 2015 by more than a mile. So far so good.
Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes becomes Nollywood’s highest-grossing film of 2025, earning ?1.77bn in under four weeks.
Multi-award-winning actress and producer Funke Akindele has done it again, and this time, the numbers speak louder than applause.
Her latest film, Behind The Scenes, has officially emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2025, pulling in an astonishing ?1.767 billion in less than four weeks.
The Tide Entertainment reports that Funke Akindele Makes Box Office History as Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn
Earlier in its release cycle, the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, revealed that Behind The Scenes smashed five opening-weekend records, including the highest single-day gross ever recorded on Boxing Day, with ?129.5 million in one day. That announcement already hinted that something unusual was unfolding.
Reacting to the milestone, FilmOne described the moment as both surreal and communal, crediting audience loyalty for pushing the film to the top spot once again as the number-one movie of the weekend. And that sentiment feels accurate. This wasn’t just ticket sales; it was momentum.
What makes this achievement even more striking is that Behind The Scenes is Funke Akindele’s third film to cross the ?1 billion mark. Before now, there was A Tribe Called Judah, and then Everybody Loves Jenifa, a film that didn’t just open big, but went on to become the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time. At this point, it’s no longer a fluke. It’s a pattern.
Part of Behind The Scenes’ success lies in strategy. The film enjoyed advanced screenings on December 10 and 11, quietly building curiosity and conversation before its nationwide release on December 12. By the time it officially hit cinemas, audiences already felt like they needed to see it.
Then there’s the cast. The film brings together a lineup that feels deliberately stacked: Scarlet Gomez, Iyabo Ojo, Destiny Etiko, Tobi Bakre, Uche Montana, and several others. Familiar faces, strong fan bases, and performances that kept word-of-mouth alive long after opening weekend.
Still, beyond timing and casting, there’s something else at work here. Funke Akindele understands Nigerian audiences. Their humour, their pacing, their emotional buttons. She doesn’t guess, she calculates, experiments, listens, and refines. That understanding has slowly turned into box-office dominance.
Behind The Scenes crossing ?1.77 billion isn’t just another headline; it’s confirmation. Funke Akindele has moved from being a successful actress to becoming one of the most reliable commercial forces Nollywood has ever produced. Three-billion-naira films don’t happen by luck. They happen when storytelling, business sense, and audience trust align.
And right now, that alignment seems firmly in her hands.
Popular Nigerian music stars, Adekunle Kosoko, widely known as Adekunle Gold, and his wife, Simi, have become parents again this time to twins.
The award-winning singer shared the joyful update on his Snapchat story on Wednesday, confirming the expansion of their family.
“Asked God for another child and he blessed me double,” she wrote.
While the couple has not yet disclosed the gender of the newborns, the announcement has sparked an outpouring of warm wishes from admirers, fellow celebrities, and industry colleagues.
Speculation had intensified in December when Simi posted a video on Instagram accompanied by the caption, “From my baby, for my babies.”
The clip showed her with a growing baby bump, fueling anticipation that another child was on the way.
Their latest blessings arrive just weeks after Simi highlighted a scene from Adekunle Gold’s newly released music video, “My Love is the Same,” further stirring excitement among fans.
The Tide Entertainment reports that Adekunle Gold and Simi who tied the knot in 2019 after a long history of friendship and musical synergy remain one of Nigeria’s most admired entertainment power couples. Both artistes were once signed to X3M Music before soaring into mainstream acclaim.
The pair welcomed their first child, Adejare Kosoko, fondly called Deja, in May 2020.
After closing out 2025 with the release of “Praise the Lord” featuring Magnito, Jesse Flames enters the new year with renewed clarity and purpose, continuing to build a body of work rooted in intention rather than noise. In a moment where Afrobeats is moving faster and louder than ever, his approach remains measured and deliberate, prioritizing meaning, craft, and longevity over momentary attention. The official music video arrives January 10.
Following the momentum of his breakout single “FLEX,” “Praise the Lord” represents a shift from celebration to grounding. Reflective and soulful, the record centers gratitude, growth, and perspective, capturing a quieter confidence that resonates beyond a single moment.
“This song is about recognizing the full picture,” Jesse shares. “The work people see and the work they don’t. The lessons, the setbacks, the growth.”
The collaboration with Magnito, a respected voice in Nigerian hip hop known for his sharp lyricism and cultural authenticity, adds depth and weight to the record, reinforcing its themes of resilience, faith, and self reflection.
Released in December at the height of Detty December, “Praise the Lord” became a natural soundtrack for both celebration and reflection as the year came to a close. With the video arriving in January, the record takes on new meaning, opening the year as a tone setter rather than a reset.
Born in the United States, raised in Festac, Lagos, and now based in London, Jesse Flames brings a global perspective to his sound, blending Afrobeats, hip hop, and melodic soul into something sleek and intentional. His music reflects lived experience and cultural nuance rather than trend chasing.
The Tide Entertainment reports that with over 11 million streams, performances at O2 Brixton Academy and OVO Arena Wembley, and coverage from The Guardian and Business Post Nigeria, Jesse’s rise has been steady and self made. Looking ahead to 2026 and 2027, he is preparing for collaborations with Ice Prince, M.I Abaga, and Smurlee.
“Praise the Lord” ft. Magnito is available now on all streaming platforms.
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