Nollywood actress, Wunmi Toriola’s debut as a cinema producer with the film “Queen Lateefah” has emerged as a box-office sensation in Nigeria, grossing N150 million just 12 days after its release.
The film has maintained its position as the top-grossing title for two consecutive weekends, showing its strong reception within Nigeria’s evolving film industry.
Premiered on September 27, “Queen Lateefah” opened to robust numbers, generating N58 million in its first weekend.
The film, co-produced by Wumi Toriola Productions and Captain of the Sea Productions, follows the life of Lateefah Adeleke, a 30-year-old businesswoman who aspires to climb the social ladder. However, her carefully constructed facade begins to unravel when she meets Jide Rhodes, a 35-year-old businessman, who exposes the gaps between her self-presented image and her actual circumstances.
The character of Lateefah, raised by an illiterate mother in impoverished conditions, lives in a dilapidated building with eccentric neighbours. Despite these realities, she presents herself as a successful, globe travelling professional. This tension between appearance and reality is at the core of the film’s narrative, adding layers of intrigue to the storyline.
The film’s star-studded cast includes notable Nollywood actors Kunle Remi, Femi Adebayo, Nancy Isime, and Broda Shaggi, a two-time African Magic Viewers’ Choice Award winner, ensuring a high-profile production with broad viewer appeal.
In its first seven days, “Queen Lateefah” earned N100.2 million, a performance that Nigerian film distributor Cinemax lauded as a triumph for Toriola in her debut as a producer. Ope Ajayi, the founder of Cinemax, noted that the company is positioning itself as a central player in the Nigerian film industry through strategic collaborations with local filmmakers and an emphasis on promoting African narratives. Cinemax’s success with “Queen Lateefah” signals Nollywood’s potential as a powerful driver of cultural content both domestically and across Africa.
Meanwhile, “Farmer’s Bride,” another domestic production, has also performed well at the box office. The film, distributed by FilmOne Entertainment, has accumulated N89.5 million in its first 12 days, including an additional N29.1 million over the most recent weekend. “Farmer’s Bride” opened with N37 million, positioning it as the second-highest-grossing film in Nigeria over the same period.
The remarkable box office success of both films highlights the continued growth and maturation of Nigeria’s film industry, which has seen increased investments in production quality and distribution networks in recent years. As Nollywood continues to expand its footprint, both domestically and internationally, these box-office figures reflect the industry’s growing significance in the global entertainment landscape.