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‘Ikenga: The Last Festival’ has crossed the ₦75 million mark at the Nigerian box office, setting a new record for Igbo cinema.
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FilmOne Entertainment says the film is now the highest-grossing Igbo title of all time and has topped the Nollywood box office for three consecutive weeks.
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The film opened with ₦22 million in its first three days, which FilmOne described as a record opening for an Igbo film in West Africa.
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Directed by Darlington Kelechi, the cultural drama features Pete Edochie, Nkem Owoh, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Patience Ozokwo and other notable Nollywood actors.
September 08, (THEWILL) — ‘Ikenga: The Last Festival’ has crossed the ₦75 million mark at the Nigerian box office, becoming the highest-grossing Igbo film of all time, according to distributor FilmOne Entertainment.
FilmOne announced the milestone on Monday, September 7, in a post on X. The distributor also revealed that the film has remained the highest-grossing Nollywood title for three consecutive weeks.
The latest achievement adds to the film’s strong run since its release in Nigerian cinemas. ‘Ikenga: The Last Festival’ opened nationwide on August 21 and has continued to attract audiences across the country.
FilmOne credited moviegoers for the film’s performance and thanked audiences for supporting the production. The distributor described the latest milestone as another major achievement for the film.
The movie made a strong impression from its opening weekend, earning ₦22 million in its first three days. FilmOne described the figure as the highest-grossing opening weekend for an Igbo film in West Africa.
Its strong opening set the tone for a successful cinema run. The film has since continued to build on its early momentum, crossing ₦75 million and setting a new box office record for an Igbo production.
Directed by Darlington Kelechi, ‘Ikenga: The Last Festival’ features a mix of veteran and contemporary Nollywood actors. The cast includes Pete Edochie, Nkem Owoh, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Patience Ozokwo, Zubby Michael, Beverly Osu, Jide Kene Achufusi, Regina Daniels and Destiny Etiko.
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The film is set in the fictional kingdom of Umuani, a community guided by ancestral customs, honour and integrity. Its story centres on a struggle for power and influence as qualified chiefs compete for the revered Ikenga title.
The conflict deepens when a wealthy and ambitious young man turns to forbidden spiritual forces in his quest for power. His actions threaten the peace and traditions of the kingdom, forcing its leaders to confront the growing danger.
The story explores themes of ambition, greed, power, corruption and tradition. It also examines the importance of protecting cultural values in the face of changing social pressures.
Beyond its commercial performance, the success of ‘Ikenga: The Last Festival’ highlights the growing audience interest in Nigerian stories rooted in indigenous culture. The film’s performance shows the potential of locally focused productions to attract large cinema audiences and achieve strong commercial results.
The film is still showing in Nigerian cinemas, giving it more time to increase its earnings. With its current momentum, ‘Ikenga: The Last Festival’ could push its final box office total even higher in the coming weeks.
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
