A Breakthrough Moment: What Funke Akindele and Mo Abudu’s THR Recognition Means for Nigerian Women Filmmakers

It’s another year of The Hollywood Reporter (THR) giving flowers to outstanding women in international film. Mo Abudu and Funke Akindele deservingly make the list, bearing the flag for the glamorous Nigerian film industry and African entertainment scene.

Mo Abudu, the founder and CEO of EbonyLife Media, who is not new to international recognition, is a vanguard for New Nollywood with her groundbreaking stories. Her exploits include being a producer of some of the highest-grossing Nigerian films of all time, such as The Wedding Party and Chief Daddy, adapting for film Wole Soyinka’s iconic tragic play, Death and The King’s Horseman, and championing narratives that reflect the systemic oppression of women, such as Baby Farm and Oloture. The British-born Nigerian filmmaker has also landed partnership deals with Hollywood actor Idris Elba and international studios like Sony, Netflix, Lionsgate, and BBC. In 2024, she launched the $50 million Afro Film Fund, a significant investment in supporting African creatives and storytelling, and announced the EbonyLife Place London cultural hub towards the end of the year.

Funke Akindele wears many hats—an actor, producer, director, film executive, entrepreneur, and politician. Yet her filmmaking journey in recent times has been nothing short of extraordinary, going by her unprecedented box office feats. Her 2024 hit Everybody Loves Jenifa, leads as the all-time highest-grossing Nigerian box office release, closely followed by three other films—A Tribe Called Judah, Battle On Buka Street, and Omo Ghetto: The Saga—all credited to her. She is known for the highly successful comic Jenifa franchise. Under her production company, Funke Akindele Network (FAAN), the award-winning actor and filmmaker continues to push the boundaries of storytelling in the domestic market, specialising chiefly in the cinematic blend of drama and comedy.

The honorable recognition of Akindele and Mo Abudu in the THR list underscores the growing influences of female Nigerian creatives on the world stage. It also attests to the increased participation and elevation of women in the film business on the home front, with women such as Jade Osiberu, Genevieve Nnaji, Mildred Okwo, and Kemi Adetiba, to mention but a few, now calling the shots. This same international acclaim is what women in Afrobeats today, the likes of Tiwa Savage, Ayra Starr, and Tems, enjoy, which further confirms that Nigerian women are making bold statements on the entertainment scene, and getting duly rewarded without having their talents sacrificed on the altar of misogynistic or patriarchy-driven prejudices. In essence, this track record of success challenges industry stereotypes and barriers, ultimately paving the way for other women to succeed therein.

The nod from THR confirms Funke Akindele and Mo Abudu not only as authoritative voices in the international film market but also as powerful inspirations for young women in Nollywood and elsewhere. Aspiring Nigerian female actors and filmmakers can learn from Akindele’s creative development and marketing strategies, while Mo Abudu’s EbonyLife Film Academy provides a platform for nurturing emerging talent as she remains committed to grooming the next generation of stars, including women, in the domestic industry.

With the acknowledgement of these filmmakers comes more opportunities for  Nigerian women in film in terms of funding, collaborations, and exposure. International investors and partners could be encouraged to do business with Nigerian female filmmakers by investing in local film infrastructure and dream projects. This could also be an opportunity for women in marketing and distribution executive roles to position themselves to bag mouth-watering deals with international distribution companies.