Nollywood film producer and actor Funke Akindele has responded to peer pressure on the heavy use of promotional dances, dramas and other marketing efforts to increase cinematic sales.
Afolayan, speaking at the Lagos Business of Film Summit, described the publicity demands as exhausting. He said that he did not want to release his cinema film if it required dance to sell tickets. “As a filmmaker, you need to decide, do you want to make films that go to festivals, … or do you want to make commercial films and box office hits like Funke Akindele and everybody loves you but you are in the field and people love you.”
“We need to come up with other strategies. How can we sell without exhausting ourselves? I don't know how Funke Akindele and others are doing it. Creating drama every day, changing costumes all the time. I can't do it,” Afolayan said.
Akindele, who is known for her intensive marketing, including digital posters, daily social media skits and meet-and-greets at theaters, addressed the comments indirectly on Instagram. She wrote, “I am not hindering your progress. Ka rin ka po, yiye ni en ye ni. If you can't beat them or join them, make your own path. Don't let jealousy burn you.”
He said there is room for different perspectives in the industry and urged promotion from top professionals.
Akindele's strategy has produced strong results. His 2023 film 'A Tribe Called Judah' became the first Nollywood film to gross over N1 billion at the box office. Her recent movie 'Behind the Scenes' crossed N2 billion, making her the first Nigerian filmmaker to reach both the N1 billion and N2 billion marks.
This approach benefits distributors and exhibitors, who favor films with strong self-promotion. Speaking at the SMC Filmmaker Forum organized by the School of Media and Communication, Pan Atlantic University, Michael Williams, General Manager of EbonyLife Place, said producers should always remember that cinemas are also running a business and like other businesses, they have to cover expenses like light bills, diesel purchases etc.
Patrick Lee, Head of Operations, Viva Cinema Nigeria, in the same webinar said that sometimes a movie sells only 50 tickets out of a possible 3000 tickets. All cinema heads, including FilmOne Limited Chief Content Officer Ladun Awobukun and Silverbird Cinemas General Manager Funmi Onuma, agreed that heavy marketing is encouraged by producers and is best for business.
Due to our marketing efforts, which increase attendance and revenue for all parties, cinemas often give Akindele more screening slots, especially during holiday periods. BusinessDay highlights how cinema revenues are shared among the stakeholders here.
However, some filmmakers face challenges regarding showtimes. In December 2025, directors including Niyi Akinmolayan, Ini Addo, and Toyin Abraham accused theaters of unfair practices, such as not respecting agreed schedules, limiting screenings, or allocating poor time slots during the holiday rush, thereby reducing potential earnings.
The exchange highlights the ongoing debate in Nollywood about balancing commercial success through aggressive marketing against artistic control, and especially keeping up with theaters versus streaming platforms. Afolayan has supported streaming deals like Netflix, where promotion is less intense and creators retain more control. Their recent series Anikulapo Season 2 'The Ghoul Awakens' was released on Netflix following the successes of the first season and the original film.
The comments have divided opinion online, with some supporting Akindele's bust and others agreeing with Afolayan's call for better industry practices. Blessing Uzi, the Nollywood movie producer, wrote on X, “Jealousy is terrible. Face yourselves, do your thing, Nollywood people!!! Tufiakwa!”
