Ikenga: The Last Festival has surpassed US$50,000 at the Nigerian box office, becoming the highest-grossing Igbo-language film of all time, according to distributor FilmOne Entertainment.
FilmOne announced the milestone on Monday via X and confirmed that the film has remained the highest-grossing Nollywood title for three consecutive weeks.
The achievement marks another significant milestone in the film’s cinema run, which has maintained strong audience interest since its nationwide release in August.
Ikenga: The Last Festival opened in Nigerian cinemas on 21 August 2026.
Directed by Darlington Kelechi, the film features a notable cast including Pete Edochie, Nkem Owoh, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Patience Ozokwo, Zubby Michael, Beverly Osu, Jide Kene Achufusi, Regina Daniels and Destiny Etiko.
The film had already made an early impact at the box office, generating US$14,700 during its first three days in cinemas. FilmOne described this as the highest-grossing opening weekend for an Igbo film in West Africa.
The performance of Ikenga: The Last Festival adds to a growing run of successful Nigerian productions that have generated significant box-office momentum in Nigeria and across West Africa in 2026.
On 11 August 2026, Nairametrics reported that Call of My Life had surpassed US$570,000 at the Nigerian box office, making it the highest-grossing local film of 2026 at the time. The film had also held the number-one position at the box office for six consecutive weekends.
Earlier in the year, Love and New Notes crossed US$219,000, becoming the highest-grossing film in West Africa at the time, according to Nairametrics. Distributed by FilmOne Entertainment, the romantic drama recorded strong cinema attendance across Nigeria and Ghana.
Hollywood productions have also continued to perform strongly in Nigerian and West African cinemas.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day reportedly crossed US$1.2 million at the West African box office, making it the highest-grossing Hollywood film in the region.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey also recorded a strong performance in Nigeria, generating US$143,700 in its opening week before exceeding US$282,000 after two weeks.
Meanwhile, the Michael Jackson biopic Michael surpassed US$533,000 in Nigeria, further demonstrating the strong demand for major international releases alongside the continued growth of local productions.
The latest box-office performance comes as Nigeria’s cinema industry continues its broader recovery.
Total box-office revenue increased from US$4.91 million in 2023 to US$10.43 million in 2025.
The market is projected to surpass US$13.33 million in 2026, although part of the growth is expected to be driven by higher ticket prices and stronger performances from major releases.
The recovery is also strengthening Nollywood’s position across the regional market. In 2025, Nigerian films accounted for 49.4% of West Africa’s box-office revenue, narrowly ahead of Hollywood at 48.8%.
The success of Ikenga: The Last Festival further highlights the growing commercial potential of locally produced and culturally specific African content, particularly films that connect strongly with regional audiences.
