Nigerian actress and producer Funke Akindele has set a new box office benchmark with her latest film, Everybody Loves Jenifa (ELJ), which grossed an impressive N206 million during its opening weekend.
Released on December 13, 2024, the film quickly topped the Nigerian box office, with an outstanding N45.22 million grossed on its debut Friday.
This represents a 30% increase in first-day admissions compared to last year’s A Tribe Called Judah. Given the film’s strong word-of-mouth buzz, many anticipate ELJ will shatter Nollywood’s attendance record of 450,000 set by Omo Ghetto.
On its opening day, ELJ drew 9,409 admissions, surpassing A Tribe Called Judah, which had 8,870 admissions, despite ELJ not screening at Genesis Cinemas and missing a portion of the day at Silverbird Cinemas. These impressive numbers highlight the film’s strong appeal, even in the face of limited cinema availability.
According to Akindele’s Instagram post, Everybody Loves Jenifa set a new record for the highest-grossing single day in Nollywood history, with N87.8 million earned in one day. The film also recorded the strongest opening weekend of 2024, selling 38,353 tickets. This makes ELJ not only the biggest opening weekend in Nollywood this year but also the highest-grossing opening weekend in the industry’s history.
Despite the absence of select cinemas, the film achieved a notable N16.8 million from advanced screenings. It has also made its international debut across 30 countries, distributed through Nile Group Entertainment, further expanding its global reach.
What to know
The film is the latest installment in Akindele’s popular Jenifa franchise. It continues the journey of the titular character, Jenifa, as she navigates fame, relationships, and personal growth.
- In this latest installment, Jenifa’s popularity takes a hit when a shady new neighbor, Lobster, outshines her charity work. The drama escalates when Jenifa and her friends find themselves in a deadly confrontation with a drug baron in Ghana after mistakenly receiving a bag of drugs in their rental.
- Co-written by Akindele, Akinlabi Ishola, and Collins Okoh, Everybody Loves Jenifa is co-directed by Akindele and Tunde Olaoye. The film blends comedy with life lessons, resonating with audiences both in Nigeria and abroad.
- The star-studded cast includes Akindele herself, alongside renowned actors like Patience Ozokwor, Nancy Isime, Stan Nze, Omowunmi Dada, Jackie Appiah, and Falz.
With its mix of humor, drama, and relatable themes, Everybody Loves Jenifa has quickly captured the attention of moviegoers, positioning it as one of Nollywood’s biggest cinematic successes to date.
