The National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, has honoured renowned filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele with four awards for her box-office achievements.
Akindele won the Box Office Champion Award (2020) for her blockbuster “Omo Ghetto.” The box office queen was also presented with the Audience Choice Award (2024/2025) for the film ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa,’ Box Office Champion (2024/2025) for ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa,’ and Box Office Champion (2025/2026) for the film ‘Behind The Scenes.’
The awards presentation ceremony was held at the Ikoyi, Lagos, office of NFVCB on Friday, February 27, 2026, with several industry practitioners in attendance.
Speaking at the award presentation ceremony held in Lagos, Dr. Shaibu Husseini, Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of NFVCB, described the occasion as a celebration of excellence and a milestone in the evolution of Nigerian cinema.
He reaffirmed the board’s commitment to promoting excellence, professionalism, and commercial sustainability in the film industry.
Husseini noted that Akindele has dominated the Nigerian box office for four consecutive years, setting new records and expanding cinema audiences. He attributed her success to her vision, discipline, strategic distribution, and deep understanding of audience engagement.
“This award is more than a trophy,” Husseini said. “It is a statement that excellence in cinema exhibition matters. It is a signal that consistency and professionalism will always be recognized. It also affirms the immense promise of Nigeria’s creative economy,” he said.
Minister of Arts, Culture, Creative Economy, and Tourism Hannatu Musawa praised Akindele as a “phenomenon” and a trailblazer who has set industry benchmarks.
She commended Akindele’s achievement, saying it sends a powerful message that Nollywood is not only culturally influential but also economically viable.
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In her acceptance speech, Akindele attributed her success to relentless dedication, strategic planning, and unwavering commitment to excellence. She urged practitioners to resist selfish interests and emphasized the importance of unity and collaboration in driving industry growth.
“I feel good. I feel blessed. Because I was not expecting this big. I just wanted to drive and pick up the award, according to Uncle Shuaibu. But seeing members of the press, seeing the guild’s representatives. Even the goodwill message from the minister herself, I feel so blessed. I feel loved. Thank you for the pat on the back,” she said.
“I listen to constructive criticism. I am a good storyteller. I want to be the best at it. I learn a lot from competitions and mentors. I was supposed to produce A Tribe Called Judah part two, but the spirit of God said I have to move out of it.
“I am not putting pressure on myself. Do not forget that I am not competing. It is not a competition; I just want to tell African stories, our own Nigerian stories. Learn our movies, see what we go through, directly from Nigerians.”