Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has responded to criticism surrounding the marketing approach she uses to promote her films
The record-breaking filmmaker, known for using dance skits and humour to push her projects online, addressed the backlash in a series of posts shared on her Instagram story on Saturday.
Akindele said she was not responsible for anyone’s lack of progress and stressed that success was not a limited opportunity.
“I’m not the one hindering your progress. Ka rin ka po, yiye nin ye ni,” she wrote.
She added that the entertainment space was large enough for everyone to thrive and encouraged critics to focus on building their own lanes instead of attacking others.
“If you can’t beat them or join them, create your own path. No allow jealousy burn you. The sky is so big for everybody to fly. Eyin Werey jojo!!!” she said.
The actress also advised colleagues unhappy with her methods to adopt different promotional strategies or seek professional help to market their work.
“Go ahead and create alternative promotion or marketing strategies for promoting your business, or hire a company to handle it.
“You can do it! The opportunities are endless, and everyone has their own path. I’m focused on mine, and I have faith in God’s plan for me,” she added.
Akindele currently holds the record as the highest-grossing filmmaker in Nollywood history.
Her 2025 release, Behind The Scenes, has grossed N2,407,000,000 and is still counting.
Everybody Loves Jenifer, released in 2024, earned N1,882,553,548, while A Tribe Called Judah made N1,408,227,541 after its 2023 release.
In 2025, Nigeria’s cinema industry recorded its strongest year ever, with box office revenue hitting a historic N15.6bn across Anglophone West Africa.
According to the West Africa 2025 Box Office Scorecard released by FilmOne Entertainment, the figure marked a 34.72 per cent increase from the N11.58bn recorded in 2024.
For the first time on record, Nollywood outperformed Hollywood at the regional box office, taking 49.4 per cent of total ticket sales, compared with Hollywood’s 48.8 per cent.
A total of 2.79 million cinema admissions were recorded across 122 cinemas, with the average ticket price rising to N5,596.
The year saw 248 new film releases, including 81 Nollywood titles, and 14 local films crossed the N100m mark, reflecting growing audience demand for Nigerian stories.