Iyalode, the latest cinematic venture from actress and producer Toyin Abraham, is on track to become one of the highest-grossing epic films in the second half of 2025.
Since its premiere on June 6, the historical drama has amassed an impressive N292.8 million at the Nigerian box office in just five weeks, solidifying its position among the top-performing local titles of the year.
Directed by Adebayo Tijani and co-produced by Abraham and Kolawole Ajeyemi, Iyalode brings a rich, fictional tale to life against a backdrop of tradition, resistance, and female agency.
At its heart is Asabi Onile, a strong warrior queen whose journey through betrayal and redemption challenges the patriarchal norms of the fictional village of Kulende. Abraham plays the lead role, anchoring a cast that includes veteran stars Bukky Wright, Kehinde Bankole, Ibrahim Chatta, Peju Ogunmola, and Aisha Lawal.
A breakdown of the movie’s performance
The film opened to a thunderous reception, grossing N103.7 million in its first weekend, a rare feat for a homegrown production. In its second week, it pulled in another N61.6 million, pushing its cumulative earnings past the N200 million mark.
Now nearing N300 million, Iyalode is on course to outpace recent Nollywood hits such as Lakatabu, The Beast of Two Worlds, and Iyabo Ojo’s epic blockbuster, all of which settled in the N200 million to N250 million range.
In a statement at the film’s premiere, Abraham revealed that the project cost over N1 billion to produce, a staggering figure for Nollywood, where production budgets are typically a fraction of that amount. She praised her distribution partner, FilmOne Entertainment, for its support in taking the film to a national audience.
What to know
In comparison, new and returning titles fared modestly. Her Excellency, a political drama featuring Shaffy Bello and Segun Arinze, debuted with a respectable N34.2 million. Superman, a returning international title, grossed N21.7 million. Meanwhile, Ballerina, now in its fifth week, added N20.3 million, bringing its cumulative gross to N237.6 million.
Despite competition from both local and international titles, Iyalode remains the box office crown jewel of the season, showcasing the expanding scale and global aspirations of Nollywood. Its financial performance, matched with its thematic ambition, may well serve as a template for future Nigerian historical epics.
As Iyalode nears the N300 million milestone, the film has firmly established Toyin Abraham not only as one of Nollywood’s most bankable stars but also as one of its boldest storytellers.
