Nollywood actress and filmmaker Toyin Abraham has stepped in to clarify comments credited to respected director Kunle Afolayan regarding a ₦10 million box office benchmark, following widespread debate within the Nigerian film industry.
The controversy began after remarks attributed to Afolayan suggested that films earning ₦10 million at the box office were being overstated as major successes. The statement sparked mixed reactions online, with some filmmakers interpreting it as dismissive of the financial realities facing emerging producers and low-to-mid budget projects.
Responding to the backlash, Toyin Abraham said the comment had been taken out of context and did not reflect a dismissal of smaller box office achievements.
“Kunle Afolayan was not insulting anyone or belittling their efforts,” Abraham explained. “The point he was making was about perspective, comparing budgets, distribution scale, and long-term sustainability, not mocking filmmakers who celebrate ₦10 million returns.”
According to Abraham, Afolayan’s argument centred on the economics of filmmaking, noting that while ₦10 million is significant, it may not represent profitability for projects with higher production and marketing costs.
“He was speaking from the standpoint of someone who understands the business side of cinema,” she said. “A film’s success isn’t just about hitting a number; it’s about recouping investment and building an industry that can compete globally.”
The debate has highlighted ongoing tensions in Nollywood between big-budget cinema releases and smaller, independently produced films, many of which rely on modest box office returns and streaming deals to survive.
Some filmmakers have argued that celebrating ₦10 million milestones helps encourage growth and visibility in a challenging market, especially amid rising production costs and limited cinema screens.
Abraham urged industry stakeholders and audiences to avoid inflaming divisions and instead focus on strengthening Nollywood as a whole.
“We all want the same thing, growth, sustainability, and global recognition,” she said. “We should be having constructive conversations about funding, distribution, and audience development, not tearing each other down.”
While Kunle Afolayan has yet to issue a detailed public response, Abraham’s clarification appears aimed at cooling tensions and reframing the discussion toward context, scale, and long-term industry progress rather than personal criticism.
The episode underscores how sensitive box office performance remains in Nollywood, where financial success is often both a marker of prestige and a reflection of survival in a competitive creative economy.
