Ikenga: The Last Festival has crossed the ₦100 million mark at the box office, according to the film’s executive producer, Anita Odiakaose.
Odiakaose announced the milestone on Tuesday at a press conference in Enugu, barely a month after the film opened in Nigerian cinemas on August 21.
The achievement follows an earlier ₦75 million milestone announced by distributor FilmOne Entertainment, which said the film had become the highest-grossing Igbo-language title at the time.
Odiakaose said the latest performance further demonstrates the commercial potential of films built around indigenous languages and culture.
According to her, Ikenga has now emerged as the highest-grossing Igbo-language film in West Africa.
The film combines Igbo cultural traditions with fiction, romance and the spectacle of a traditional festival. About 90 per cent of its dialogue is in Igbo, with subtitles provided for viewers who do not understand the language.
Odiakaose also said roughly 90 per cent of the cast and crew are Igbo.
A first cinema project
For Odiakaose, the box-office performance is particularly significant because Ikenga is her first cinema release.
She said she had previously produced more than 70 films for YouTube before making the transition to theatrical cinema.
The producer believes the film’s reception demonstrates that audiences in Nigeria and the diaspora are interested in stories that reflect their cultural identity.
The movie features some of Nollywood’s established names, including Pete Edochie, Patience Ozokwor, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Zubby Michael, Jidekene Achufusi and Beverly Osu.
The film was directed by Darlington Kelechi and is distributed by FilmOne Entertainment. Its official release date was August 21, 2026.
‘We need to revive Igbo’
Beyond its commercial performance, Odiakaose used the occasion to speak about the place of the Igbo language in contemporary Nigerian storytelling.
She acknowledged that she is not fluent in Igbo herself but argued that filmmakers have a role to play in preserving and promoting the language.
She called for greater use of Igbo names, language and cultural elements in films as part of efforts to strengthen the identity of the people.
Ikenga has continued its cinema run weeks after its opening, with listings showing the film still screening at Nigerian cinemas in September.
The film is also set for an international rollout, beginning with a United States premiere on October 30. Screenings in the United Kingdom and Canada are expected to follow in November and December.
With its domestic box-office performance already drawing attention, Ikenga: The Last Festival is now taking its celebration of Igbo culture beyond Nigerian cinemas.
