Nigerian women in the Nollywood industry have continued to look for new ways to strive in the male-dominated system, regardless of the existing patriarchy.

The industry has continually seen female actors become more assertive in their career pursuits. Over the last decade, six to ten of the Nollywood supernovas were either produced or directed by women.

Here are the works by women that have made visible strides in the growth of Nigerian cinema.

Battle on Buka Street

Battle on Buka Street is a 2022 Nigerian comedy-drama produced and directed by the ace Nollywood actress Funke Akindele.

Data from the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) shows that Funke Akindele’s comedy movie earned over US$1 million (an equivalent of N459,000,000 as of the time we checked” after spending only nine weeks in theatres. And was pronounced the highest-grossing Nollywood movie of all time.

The movie starred Funke Akindele, Mercy Johnson, Nkem Owoh, and Sola Sobowale.

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The story revolves around the rivalry between two women who confront each other in a food challenge to win the prestigious ‘King of Buka Street’, a title conferred to the best local food seller in the region.

Chief Daddy

Chief Daddy is a 2018 Nigerian comedy-drama produced by the renowned Nigerian media mogul Mosunmola Abudu with her daughter Temidayo Abudu.

The film starred famous Nollywood actors and actresses such as Funke Akindele, Kate Henshaw, Nkem Owoh, Joke Silva, Patience Ozokwor, and Richard Mofe Damijo.

Within three days, Chief Daddy sold over N40 million movie tickets and a total of N115.7 million in the first ten days of release.

The comic movie tells the story of billionaire industrialist Chief Beecroft, a flamboyant benefactor to a large extended family of relatives, household staff, and assorted mistresses.

Fifty

Fifty is a 2015 Nigerian romantic drama film produced by media veteran Mo Abudu. The movie illustrates the complexities of Nigerian (African) women.

Fifity follows the story of four successful Nigerian women as they navigate the pinnacle of their careers. It connects the lives of four middle-aged women with a focus on their love, relationships, faith, and womanhood.

The movie starred Ireti Doyle, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Dakore Akande, Omoni Oboli, Wale Ojo, and Timini Egbuson.

Fifty was the most successful film at the Nigerian box office in 2015 and has spawned a television series due to air on EbonyLife TV in 2017.

READ ALSO: Funke Akindele’s ‘Battle On Buka Street’ Sets Nollywood Record With N135m In One Day

In 2015, Fifty was the only Nigerian film, and one of only five African films from a global selection of 238 movies to be screened at the 59th BFI London Film Festival.

The Wedding Party

The Wedding Party was the highest-grossing Nigerian film in 2016 and led the track with the release of its sequel in 2017.

The Nigerian romantic comedy-drama was directed by the celebrated Kemi Adetiba and produced by the brilliant Zulumoke Onuekwusi. The film’s popularity was fuelled by Banky W and Adesua Etomi’s engagement announcement, which coincided with its release.

The Wedding Party tells the story of a couple’s lavish wedding plans that gradually unfold into a nightmare as exes come into the picture, fights from parents on both ends, and uninvited guests make themselves comfortable.

King of Boys

King of Boys is a 2018 crime and political thriller produced and directed by Kemi Adetiba. It is the second movie directed by Kemi Adetiba following the release of The Wedding Party.

The film grossed ₦ 200 million after 7 weeks in cinemas and ₦245 million overall. King of Boys debuted the country’s indigenous rappers, Ill Bliss and Reminisce.

Three years after its sequel, The Return of the King was released exclusively on Netflix as an original limited series.

KOB follows the story of a businesswoman and philanthropist with a checkered past and a promising political future. She is a pillar of society; loved by many, feared by most, and indeed known by a select few.

Lionheart

Lionheart is the first Nigerian Netflix original film. Produced in 2018 by Chinny Onwugbenu and directed by the much loved Genevieve Nnaji.

The Nigerian family drama tells the story of a fearless daughter who wants to substitute for her father, who can no longer run his company due to health issues.

The daughter then works with her father’s younger brother, who came to assist his young niece, as they align forces to save the company from debt as well as a threatened takeover by a businessman.

Lionheart premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival in Canada. It was selected as the Nigerian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.

It later got disqualified because the film had majority of its dialogue in English. However, Genevieve’s Lionheart was the first Nigerian film to be submitted to the Oscars.

Ijakumo

Ijakumo is a 2022 suspense thriller produced by Toyin Abraham. The film stars an ensemble cast, including Toyin Abraham, Kunle Remi, Bimbo Akintola, and Olumide Oworu.

The thriller title grossed N30.44 million in its first 3 days at the Box office and made N88.28 million in 7 days. And by one month, it had grossed a total of N221 million.

Ijakumo tells the story of Asabi, the daughter of a powerful spiritualist who is hell-bent on destroying the life of her ex-lover, a now-renowned prominent pastor in Lagos, Jide, who cheated her and left her to die.

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The pastor belongs to a sort of cabal that commits all kinds of atrocities. As the story unfolds, the pastor falls into a trap set by Asabi that leads him to his doom.

Brotherhood

Brotherhood is a Nigerian crime-action thriller produced by the talented Jade Osiberu. The movie starred the veteran Nollywood actor Sam Dede, with Zuby Michael, Tobi Bakre, Falz, and more.

The film premiered with N53.23 million. ‘Brotherhood’ made N118.50 million in the second week, N177.67 million in the third week, and crossed the N200 million bar by the fourth week.

Brotherhood tells the story of twin brothers who fell on opposite sides of the law, with one joining the police force and the other joining a notorious gang of robbers.

The bonds of brotherhood are put to the ultimate test as one enters a taskforce to become the nightmare of the former.