By Muhammad Sal
Toyin Abraham’s new film, Iyalode, is on the verge of crossing N300 million in box office sales, making it one of the highest-grossing Nollywood epics of 2025.
Since its premiere on June 6, Iyalode has pulled in N292.8 million in just five weeks. This strong performance puts it ahead of many other big titles this year and shows the growing power of Nollywood in the entertainment world.
The film, directed by Adebayo Tijani and co-produced by Abraham and Kolawole Ajeyemi, tells the story of Asabi Onile, a fierce warrior queen who stands up to tradition and fights for her place in the fictional village of Kulende. Toyin Abraham leads the cast, with support from Nollywood stars like Bukky Wright, Kehinde Bankole, Ibrahim Chatta, Peju Ogunmola, and Aisha Lawal.
Iyalode made a huge splash on opening weekend, earning N103.7 million, a rare achievement for a local film. In its second week, it brought in another N61.6 million, quickly passing the N200 million mark.
The film’s success puts it ahead of recent Nollywood hits like Lakatabu, The Beast of Two Worlds, and Iyabo Ojo’s blockbuster, which all earned between N200 million and N250 million.
At the premiere, Abraham revealed that making Iyalode cost over N1 billion, a record-breaking budget for Nollywood. She thanked FilmOne Entertainment for helping bring the movie to a national audience.
Other movies, both local and international, have not matched Iyalode’s numbers. For example, Her Excellency opened with N34.2 million, while Superman grossed N21.7 million. Ballerina, in its fifth week, has reached N237.6 million.
Despite strong competition, Iyalode remains the top film of the season. Its big budget, powerful story, and strong box office run show how Nollywood is growing and aiming for bigger things.
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