Funke Akindele (Jenifa) is Nollywood's box-office queen: her films hold the top spots on Nigeria's all-time list. Here is her full biography, from I Need to Know to Behind The Scenes, her awards, politics and estimated net worth.
Quick facts
| Real name | Olufunke Ayotunde Akindele |
|---|---|
| Known as | Jenifa |
| Born | 24 August 1977, Ikorodu, Lagos |
| Education | OND Mass Communication; Law degree, University of Lagos |
| Biggest films | Behind The Scenes, Everybody Loves Jenifa, A Tribe Called Judah, Battle on Buka Street, Omo Ghetto: The Saga |
| Record | Highest-grossing director in Nigerian box office history |
| Awards | 6 AMVCA wins (record for an actress) |
| Estimated net worth | $6 million – $11 million |
Who is Funke Akindele?
Funke Akindele is a Nigerian actress, producer and director, best known as Jenifa, the loud village girl turned city babe. Today she is the most commercially successful filmmaker in Nollywood history.
Early life and education
Olufunke Ayotunde Akindele was born on 24 August 1977 in Ikorodu, Lagos. She earned an OND in mass communication from Ogun State Polytechnic (now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic) and a law degree from the University of Lagos.
Acting career
She first became famous as Bisi in the sitcom I Need to Know (1998–2002). Her breakthrough came with Jenifa (2008), which won her Best Actress at the 2009 AMAA. The character grew into a franchise: The Return of Jenifa, the long-running series Jenifa's Diary, the spin-off Aiyetoro Town and the 2024 film Everybody Loves Jenifa.
Box office queen
As producer and director, she made the five highest-grossing Nollywood films on record: Omo Ghetto: The Saga (2020), Battle on Buka Street (2022), A Tribe Called Judah (2023), Everybody Loves Jenifa (2024) and Behind The Scenes (2025).
Behind The Scenes became the highest-grossing Nigerian film of all time. Legit.ng reports it passed ₦2.5 billion by February 2026, according to distributor FilmOne, and later figures put it around ₦2.7 billion.
