How Funke Akindele Is Taking Nollywood to the Global Stage
Nigerian actress, filmmaker and producer Funke Akindele is continuing to expand the international reach of Nollywood through her record-breaking movies and distinctive approach to storytelling.
Akindele, widely recognised as one of Africa's most commercially successful filmmakers, is preparing to release her latest major film, The Four: No One Fights Alone, on December 11, 2026.
The upcoming production tells the story of four determined women who come together to fight for the future of a young man they love. It marks another major theatrical project in Akindele's filmmaking career.
Speaking to CNN's Larry Madowo in Lagos, Akindele explained that her goal is to tell authentic Nigerian and African stories while maintaining international production standards.
She believes that stories rooted in African culture can attract audiences around the world when they are presented in a way that people from different backgrounds can understand and relate to.
Record-breaking success at the box office
Akindele's growing influence in the African film industry has been supported by the commercial success of several major productions.
Her 2025 film, Behind the Scenes, generated more than ₦2 billion at the box office, becoming the first Nollywood movie to cross that milestone, according to the report.
The film follows a successful real estate businesswoman whose personal crisis forces her to reconsider her generosity towards others. Its availability on Netflix also helped introduce the production to a wider international audience.
Another major achievement came in 2023 with A Tribe Called Judah, which became the first Nollywood film to reach ₦1 billion in cinema revenue.
Akindele also made history as the first African filmmaker whose movies topped the Nigerian box office for three consecutive years.
From Jenifa to international recognition
Akindele's journey to becoming one of Africa's leading filmmakers began with her popular 2008 movie Jenifa.
The comedy tells the story of a village girl who moves to the city to attend university and struggles to adjust to a different lifestyle.
The movie became a major success and established the character that would later become one of the most recognisable figures in Nigerian entertainment.
Its sequel, The Return of Jenifa, arrived in 2011, while Everybody Loves Jenifa followed in 2024.
The latter production was particularly expensive, with filming taking place in Ghana and Nigeria. Akindele explained that she invested heavily in locations, sets and production arrangements but said the film recovered its costs through cinema and streaming success.
Nollywood's global potential
Nigeria's film industry, popularly known as Nollywood, is among the world's largest film industries by production volume.
According to UNESCO figures cited in the report, Nigeria produces more than 2,500 films annually, making it the second-largest film industry by volume after India's.
The industry also provides employment for more than one million people and plays an important role in Nigeria's creative economy.
Despite this growth, Akindele believes that distribution remains one of the biggest challenges facing African filmmakers.
She argues that stronger international partnerships and collaborations would help filmmakers gain access to better technology, production knowledge and wider distribution networks.
She has also encouraged writers and producers to develop authentic stories with emotional themes that audiences across different countries can appreciate.
Building a lasting legacy
Beyond box-office records and commercial success, Akindele says she wants her career to create opportunities for other women and emerging creatives.
She hopes to be remembered as someone who helped break barriers and provided platforms for other people to develop their talents and share their stories.
Her approach reflects a wider ambition to strengthen Nollywood's international presence while ensuring that Nigerian culture and African experiences remain at the heart of its storytelling.
With The Four: No One Fights Alone scheduled for release on December 11, 2026, Akindele is preparing another opportunity to showcase Nigerian filmmaking to audiences around the world.
Lamielsidenews.com.ng will continue to follow developments in Nollywood and the growing influence of Nigerian entertainment on the global stage.
Sources
https://www.egyptindependent.com/how-nigerias-funke-akindele-is-helping-take-nollywood-global/
https://punchng.com/funke-akindeles-the-four-no-one-fights-alone-set-for-december-release/
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