Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Nollywood actress, filmmaker and producer Funke Akindele is setting an ambitious ₦5 billion box-office target for her forthcoming movie, The Four: No One Fights Alone, as she continues to defend her distinctive and highly energetic approach to film promotion amid criticism from some quarters.
The filmmaker, widely recognised for her commercial success in the Nigerian film industry, is preparing for another major cinema release with expectations of extending her impressive box-office record.
The new production is scheduled to arrive in cinemas globally on December 11, 2026, with FilmOne Entertainment handling distribution.
Akindele’s ₦5 billion ambition represents a significant commercial target for the Nigerian film industry, particularly as Nollywood continues to explore opportunities for expanding its cinema audience, improving theatrical revenue and attracting international attention.
Although the ₦5 billion figure has been presented as the film’s target, Weng Global could not independently establish a detailed projection or financial breakdown explaining how the target was calculated.
Funke Akindele Stands by Her Marketing Strategy
Akindele’s promotional approach has remained one of the most recognisable features of her filmmaking career.
The actress frequently combines dance videos, comedy skits, social media challenges, cast appearances, promotional events and direct engagement with audiences to generate publicity for her productions.
Her approach has attracted considerable attention across social media, where promotional videos involving her and other cast members often generate conversations ahead of cinema releases.
However, the strategy has also attracted criticism from some industry observers and social media users who question the emphasis on entertainment-driven promotion.
The debate has raised broader questions about the relationship between filmmaking, marketing creativity and commercial success in Nollywood.
Akindele has previously defended her approach against criticism, maintaining that the success of one filmmaker does not prevent others from achieving similar accomplishments.
In January 2026, she responded to criticism surrounding her promotional activities through posts shared on her Instagram story.
According to reports by The PUNCH and The Guardian, she rejected suggestions that her success was hindering the progress of other filmmakers.
Her response followed comments by fellow filmmaker Kunle Afolayan, who had questioned the promotional demands associated with competing for box-office records.
Akindele’s position reflects a different understanding of film promotion, one in which publicity, audience participation and visibility are considered important parts of the business of filmmaking.
What to Expect From The Four: No One Fights Alone
The Four: No One Fights Alone is a drama centred on friendship, motherhood, resilience, sacrifice and the strength of women.
The story follows Esosa and three women whose friendship and loyalty are tested as they embark on a journey to secure the future of a young man they love.
The film moves between the Odu community and the city, incorporating Nigerian cultural elements, fashion, music and traditions into its storytelling.
According to information released about the production, the movie is designed to explore relationships and the challenges people encounter while standing up for those they care about.
Akindele is involved in the project as its writer, director and producer under Funke Akindele Network, also known as FAAN TV.
The production brings together an extensive cast of established Nollywood performers and other entertainment personalities.
Among those featuring in the movie are Bisola Aiyeola, Chioma Akpotha, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Timini Egbuson, Lateef Adedimeji, Ali Nuhu, Uzor Arukwe, Ronke Oshodi Oke, Antar Laniyan and Wunmi Toriola.
Award-winning singer Waje and Afrobeats artiste Shoday are also associated with the production, alongside Samuel Banks, Kolapo Omotoso and Ayomide Iwasokun.
The combination of experienced actors and music personalities reflects the production’s broad entertainment appeal.
The film also incorporates Adire into its visual presentation, highlighting an aspect of Nigerian textile heritage while connecting the production to contemporary fashion and cultural identity.
Akindele’s Previous Box-Office Success Raises Expectations
The expectations surrounding The Four are closely connected to Akindele’s previous achievements in Nigerian cinema.
Over the years, she has established herself as one of the country’s most commercially successful filmmakers through productions that have attracted significant cinema audiences.
Her previous projects include Omo Ghetto: The Saga, Battle on Buka Street, A Tribe Called Judah, Everybody Loves Jenifa and Behind the Scenes.
These productions have contributed to her reputation as a filmmaker capable of combining popular entertainment with commercially successful theatrical releases.
Her 2023 film, A Tribe Called Judah, became a major milestone for Nollywood after crossing the ₦1 billion domestic box-office mark.
The achievement demonstrated the growing commercial possibilities of Nigerian cinema and encouraged further conversations about the industry’s revenue potential.
In 2024, Everybody Loves Jenifa also recorded significant commercial success, reinforcing Akindele’s position among the leading figures in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
Her 2025 production, Behind the Scenes, subsequently raised the bar by generating more than ₦2 billion in Nigerian cinema revenue.
According to reports published by Premium Times and other entertainment publications, the film became the first Nollywood production to surpass the ₦2 billion domestic box-office milestone.
The performance strengthened expectations surrounding her subsequent theatrical projects.
However, reproducing or surpassing those achievements will depend on several factors, including audience interest, cinema attendance, distribution arrangements, competition and the effectiveness of the promotional campaign.
Why Her Marketing Strategy Matters to Nollywood
The discussion surrounding Akindele’s marketing approach extends beyond the personality of one filmmaker.
It highlights the growing importance of marketing in Nigeria’s creative economy, particularly as filmmakers compete for audience attention in an increasingly crowded entertainment market.
Producing a film requires substantial investment in areas such as casting, equipment, locations, production personnel, editing, sound, distribution and promotion.
However, completing a film does not automatically guarantee that audiences will purchase cinema tickets.
Filmmakers must also create awareness, communicate the appeal of their productions and persuade potential viewers that a cinema experience is worth their money.
This makes promotional activities an important part of the commercial filmmaking process.
Akindele’s strategy demonstrates how entertainment personalities can use their existing audiences and social media platforms to generate interest in theatrical productions.
Dance videos, comedy content and promotional collaborations can help a film reach people who might not otherwise encounter conventional movie advertisements.
Such activities also encourage conversations around a production before its release.
Nevertheless, promotional visibility does not necessarily translate into box-office revenue.
A successful marketing campaign must ultimately be supported by a film that audiences consider worth watching.
Storytelling, production quality, audience satisfaction, cinema accessibility and ticket prices remain important considerations.
For Nollywood, the broader lesson is that filmmakers may need to develop marketing strategies that reflect their individual creative identities, available resources and target audiences.
Akindele’s approach may not be suitable for every filmmaker, but its commercial results have made it an important subject in discussions about the relationship between publicity and cinema performance.
The ₦5 Billion Target Presents a Major Commercial Challenge
A ₦5 billion box-office target would represent a significant achievement for a Nigerian production.
It would also raise expectations for the commercial performance of The Four: No One Fights Alone.
Achieving that figure would require substantial audience participation across the film’s theatrical markets.
The Nigerian cinema market remains an important platform for Nollywood productions, while international distribution provides opportunities to reach Nigerians in the diaspora and other audiences interested in African storytelling.
However, the final financial performance of a film cannot be determined by promotional attention alone.
The number of cinema screens available, ticket sales, distribution agreements, exhibition arrangements and the duration of the theatrical run can all influence reported box-office earnings.
It is also important to distinguish between total ticket revenue and the amount ultimately received by a film’s producer.
Cinema operators, distributors and other parties involved in theatrical exhibition may receive portions of the revenue under their respective agreements.
Consequently, a ₦5 billion box-office target should not automatically be interpreted as ₦5 billion in profit for the filmmaker.
The distinction is important when assessing the financial implications of major Nollywood releases.
Competition in the December Cinema Market
The December cinema season is traditionally an important period for Nigerian entertainment releases.
The holiday period often provides opportunities for families, friends and returning Nigerians to visit cinemas, creating a competitive environment for filmmakers.
Akindele’s The Four will therefore enter a market where promotional visibility, release timing and audience preferences could influence its performance.
The renewed comparisons between Akindele and fellow actress and filmmaker Toyin Abraham have also attracted attention ahead of the December release season.
According to The PUNCH, discussions among supporters of both actresses have intensified around their respective forthcoming productions and promotional activities.
However, competition between filmmakers should ultimately be assessed through their creative output and commercial performance rather than online arguments among supporters.
For audiences, the arrival of multiple Nigerian productions during the festive period provides more entertainment choices.
For the industry, it creates an opportunity to test the strength of domestic cinema demand.
What Happens Next?
With the December 11, 2026 release date approaching, attention will increasingly focus on the promotional campaign, cinema distribution and audience reception of The Four: No One Fights Alone.
The film’s performance will provide another opportunity to assess whether Akindele can extend her record of commercially successful Nigerian cinema releases.
Its ₦5 billion ambition also places the production within a wider conversation about the financial potential of Nollywood and the capacity of Nigerian filmmakers to attract larger audiences.
Whether the target is achieved will ultimately depend on ticket sales and the film’s performance during its theatrical run.
For now, Akindele’s decision to pursue another ambitious box-office milestone demonstrates her continued confidence in Nigerian cinema and the commercial possibilities of African storytelling.
Her defence of her marketing strategy also reinforces an important point for the creative industry: filmmakers can adopt different promotional approaches while pursuing the common objective of building successful productions.
As the release date approaches, audiences and industry stakeholders will be watching to see whether The Four: No One Fights Alone can deliver the commercial success its filmmaker hopes to achieve.
Sources
- The PUNCH – Reporting on Funke Akindele’s forthcoming movie and December release.
- The Guardian Nigeria – Reporting on Akindele’s response to criticism of her film marketing strategy.
- Premium Times – Reporting on Akindele’s box-office achievements and upcoming film.
- Voice of Nigeria – Report on the announcement of The Four: No One Fights Alone.
- CNN – Reporting on Funke Akindele’s filmmaking career and commercial achievements.
