Funke Akindele
Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has described ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa’ as the most expensive film she has produced, citing the cost of transporting cast and crew to Ghana and constructing sets for the production.
Akindele made the disclosure during an interview with CNN International correspondent Larry Madowo, where she discussed her filmmaking career and the production process behind the 2024 comedy-drama.
She explained that filming the project required significant investment, particularly in logistics and set construction.
According to the actress, the production involved filming in both Nigeria and Ghana, with the entire cast and crew flown to Ghana for some scenes.
She specifically mentioned Safari Valley Resort in Ghana as one of the locations that contributed to the film’s production expenses.
“Everybody Loves Jenifa is a very expensive film because we went to Ghana. We filmed in Ghana and Nigeria. We flew all the cast and crew to Ghana. We filmed in Safari Valley Resort. That is a very expensive place to film,” she said.
Akindele also explained that she prefers constructing her own sets rather than relying on other people’s homes as filming locations.
She said she usually rents or purchases a location before developing it into a set for her productions.
“I build my set by myself. I don’t go to people’s houses to shoot. I create my set myself. I would rent out a place, or buy a place and start constructing my set there,” she added.
Despite the production expenses, Akindele said the film performed well in cinemas and on streaming platforms, though she did not disclose the exact amount spent.
Released on December 13, 2024, Everybody Loves Jenifa grossed approximately N1.88 billion at the Nigerian box office, according to reported box-office figures.
The film, directed by Akindele and Tunde Olaoye, featured actors including Nancy Isime, Stan Nze, Falz, Lateef Adedimeji, Jackie Appiah and Patience Ozokwor.
