Nollywood filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele has opened up about the heavy financial demands behind her hit movie, "Everybody Loves Jenifa," describing it as the most expensive project of her career.
Speaking during an interview with CNN Africa, as reported by beninwebtv.com, the award-winning director explained that major production decisions pushed up the overall cost. Key among these was taking the entire cast and crew across the border to Ghana for filming.
A significant portion of the film was shot at the luxury Safari Valley Resort in Ghana. Akindele noted that choosing such an upscale resort and catering for travel logistics made the trip one of the largest financial burdens of the production.
Production expenses continued to climb once the team returned home to Nigeria. Akindele revealed that she chose to build custom sets rather than film inside occupied private residences, preferring to acquire or lease spaces that could be redesigned specifically to fit the story.
While the filmmaker did not disclose the precise budget or exact streaming numbers, she confirmed that the heavy investment paid off. The project recouped its expenses through ticket receipts at the cinema alongside distribution agreements on streaming platforms.
Released in Nigerian cinemas on December 13, 2024, "Everybody Loves Jenifa" went on to haul roughly 1.88 billion naira at the box office. The comedy-drama was co-directed by Akindele and Tunde Olaoye, adding another chapter to the widely celebrated Jenifa franchise that first captured audiences back in 2008.
The massive commercial run further solidified Akindele's reputation as a dominant force in Nigerian cinema. Her creative partnership with Olaoye continues to attract strong industry attention, with earlier box-office rankings highlighting the duo among the most successful directing teams working in Nollywood.
