Funke Akindele’s ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa’ Breaks Nollywood Box Office Records

Funke Akindele’s newly released movie, Everybody Loves Jenifa, has set a new Nollywood record, becoming the highest-grossing opening day film in the industry’s history.

According to the Nigerian Box Office, the movie, released in cinemas last Friday, grossed ₦45.2 million on its opening day with 9,409 admissions.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the blockbuster surpassed the previous record held by Akindele’s 2023 film, A Tribe Called Judah, which achieved over ₦1 billion in box office earnings last year.

“Everybody Loves Jenifa shattered box office records yesterday. It had the biggest opening day for a Nollywood film with ₦45.2M!” the Nigerian Box Office announced via X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.

The post added, “ELJ drew 9,409 admissions, surpassing ATCJ’s 8,870 despite not screening at Genesis Cinemas and missing most of the day at Silverbird Cinemas. These figures do not include advanced screenings, so the final tally could be slightly higher.”

Everybody Loves Jenifa

Entertainment company Film One also confirmed the record-breaking milestone on Instagram, stating that the movie not only boasts the biggest opening day for a Nollywood release in 2024 but also the highest admission count for the year.

Everybody Loves Jenifa is the latest installment in the Jenifa franchise, which has captivated audiences since 2008. The film features an all-star cast, including Layi Wasabi, Nancy Isime, Jackie Appiah, Falz, Omowunmi Dada, Chimezie Imo, Patience Ozokwor, and Stan Nze.

In response to the movie’s success, Akindele warned against piracy, emphasizing that legal action would be taken against offenders.

This achievement solidifies Funke Akindele’s status as a box office powerhouse, following the massive success of A Tribe Called Judah in 2023.