The film, which is distributed by FilmOne Entertainment, achieved the milestone shortly after its release, drawing audiences to cinemas nationwide.

Aba Blues, set in 1989 Aba following the Nigerian Civil War, follows Amara (Angel Anosike) whose marriage is tested by the return of her former boyfriend, exploring themes of love, ambition, and nostalgia.

In a statement shared on its official Instagram page, the film distributor expressed appreciation for the support received from viewers across the country.

“Thank you Nigeria for a great opening weekend,” the company said while encouraging more cinema goers to see the film.

It noted that the movie is currently showing in cinemas nationwide and continues to attract attention from audiences.

It was reported that the movie has generated growing interest among movie lovers, contributing to its strong debut performance at the box office.

With its current momentum and ongoing nationwide screenings, the film is expected to maintain steady patronage in the coming weeks.

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This honor stands as a testament to Fellow Folake Philips’ unwavering commitment to service, her passion for uplifting communities, and her tireless advocacy for cultural visibility and social impact.

In her response to this recognition, Princess Folake Philips humbly remarked, “a win for one, is a win for our community. I am grateful and honoured to serve and to dedicate myself to amplifying our needs and voices and to bringing visibility through cultural exposure, educational enrichment and advocacy. Our roots have prepared us for these sorts of moments.”

Her words reflect the very essence of the Archaivar spirit, unity, heritage, and collective progress.

The Kord of Golden State, California Convergence, Americana Archaivar Plus Convergence, Grand Patron, (GP) Oluwafemi Aderemi Alonge, commended her achievement, describing it as “a moment of pride not only for California Convergence but for the entire Archaivar family worldwide. Fellow Folake Philips exemplifies the true meaning of leadership through service, embodying excellence, cultural pride, and a deep commitment to humanity. Her recognition is both earned and inspiring.”

Similarly, the Grand Kord of Americana Archaivar Plus Convergence, Patron Ranti Dairo, praised her accomplishment, stating, “This recognition speaks volumes of the calibre of individuals within our Convergence. Princess Folake Philips has elevated our collective identity through her impactful work, reminding us that service, when rooted in purpose and culture, transcends boundaries. We celebrate her as a beacon of excellence and a worthy ambassador of our values.”

Chairman board of Americana Achaivar Plus, Chief Adewale Fakorede, in his conclusion, “This recognition is not only a personal milestone but a shared victory for the entire Americana Archaivar community. It reinforces the Convergence’s mission of promoting cultural heritage, fostering unity, and driving meaningful impact across communities both in the diaspora and beyond and as we celebrate one of us, Fellow (Princess) Folake Philips, we are reminded that when one rises, the entire community is lifted”.

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The movie, distributed by FilmOne Entertainment also achieved significant commercial success at the domestic box office grossing N2.7 billion to become one of Nollywood’s biggest titles of all time.

In a post shared on its Instagram page, the distributor described the achievement as a record breaking run and a defining moment for African cinema.

”A record-breaking run. A defining moment for African cinema,” the company said, adding that the film continues to attract audiences across multiple regions.

Our correspondent reports that ‘Behind The Scenes’ explores themes around fame, success and the hidden emotional realities behind public admiration.

The film’s success extends beyond West Africa with growing viewership reported across international markets, further reinforcing Nollywood’s expanding global footprint.

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Spotify disclosed this in its “Loud & Clear” annual report released on Monday in Lagos.

Our correspondent reports that Loud & Clear provides insights into the economics of music streaming and how artistes build careers, grow audiences and reach new markets globally.

According to the report, revenue earned by Nigerian artistes from Spotify alone grew by more than 140 per cent over the past two years.

“The figures reflect both the growing global appeal of Nigerian music and the increasing economic opportunity for artistes across the market,” the report said.

It also highlighted strong listener engagement with Nigerian music on the platform.

It said that in 2025, Nigerian artistes generated about 30.3 billion streams and 1.6 billion listening hours on Spotify, which was also discovered by first-time listeners more than 1.3 billion times, thereby representing a 26 percent increase compared with 2024.

“At home, Nigerian music continues to command a powerful share of listening.

“In 2025, Nigerian artistes were responsible for over 80 per cent of the tracks featured on Spotify Nigeria’s Daily Top 50, underlining the strength of local talent in shaping the country’s listening habits.

“Local consumption of Nigerian artistes also grew by 170 per cent year-on-year on Spotify alone,” the report said.

Jocelyn Muhutu- Remy, Managing Director for Africa at Spotify, said that Nigeria’s music industry continues to demonstrate creativity and global cultural influence.

“What we are seeing is a market where talent is not only reaching new audiences around the world but also building deeper connections at home.

“For us, Loud & Clear is an opportunity to spotlight the evolving pathways artistes are taking to build sustainable careers and to show the many ways Nigerian creators are shaping the future of music,” she said.

Muhutu-Remy also highlighted significant growth across key artiste segments as local streams of Nigerian female artistes increased by 55 per cent year-on-year, while streams of Nigerian independent artistes grew by 75 per cent over the same period.

She added that about 58 per cent of all royalties generated by Nigerian artistes on Spotify in 2025 went to independent artistes or labels, underscoring the role of independent creators in the country’s music ecosystem.

She revealed that the platform’s editorial ecosystem also played a role in artistes discovery with nearly 2,000 Nigerian artistes added to the platform’s editorial playlists in 2025.

“Globally, Nigerian artistes were featured in about 320 million user playlists while over 12 million user playlists featuring Nigerian artistes were created in Nigeria.

“In total, more than 60 million playlists featuring Nigerian artistes were created on Spotify alone in 2025.

“Over the past five years, genres with the fastest growth on Spotify in Nigeria include pop urbane, alternative pop, anime, emo and drill.”

According to her, Loud & Clear continues to offer a deeper look at the data behind streaming.

“In Nigeria, this year’s story is clear: local artistes are building momentum at home, reaching new audiences at scale, and generating growing economic value from Spotify alone.”

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According to Touring Data, a global tour monitoring platform, on X (formally Twitter), @burnaboy’s “No Sign of Weakness” is officially the highest-grossing tour by an African artist in Oceania’s history, with $3.1 million from 31,000 tickets sold across 4 shows.”

He reached the milestone during the Sydney stop of his recent ‘No Sign Of Weakness’, which took place at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, generating $1.117 million in revenue.

The ‘No sign of Weakness’ tour was held across 20 shows in three continents , including North America, Europe and Oceania.

During the Oceania leg of the tour, four shows in Australia sold about 30,946 tickets and generated $3.1 million in total revenue.

This milestone has further proven that African artists can sell out large arenas outside Africa as the “On The Low”crooner’s global tours are now among the highest-earning tours by African artists. ,

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The data shows playlists focused on longing, vulnerability, and emotional recovery.

In a statement on Friday in Lagos, Spotify’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu, said insights from the streaming platform, showed that mood-led playlist creation had surged in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day.

Okumu said data showed that heartbreak-themed listening rose faster than love-coded playlists.

According to her, between Jan. 1 and Feb. 4, Spotify recorded a steep increase in ‘yearn playlists’, a signal of heartbreak and longing, which jumped by 305 per cent from 2024 to 2025.

She said this was followed by another 170 per cent rise from 2025 to 2026.

“While romance remained present, the figures suggested Valentine’s Day in Nigeria is increasingly becoming a season where listeners sit with complicated emotions rather than just celebrate love.

“Valentine’s Day in Nigeria is no longer a single-note romance moment.

“We are seeing listeners embrace love and heartbreak as equally valid emotional realities, and use music to move through both with honesty,” she said.

Okumu said Spotify’s data points to Gen Z as the clearest driver of the heartbreak trend.

According to the data, among listeners aged 18 to 24 on Valentine’s Day, nearly 60 per cent skewed toward heartbreak listening while almost 40 per cent leaned into love.

She said the pattern cuts across gender, with men accounting for over 65 per cent of heartbreak streams and 61 per cent of love streams, while women represented just over a third in both categories.

She said, geographically, heartbreak listening was most concentrated in Lagos, followed by Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Benin, highlighting how young Nigerians in major cities are using music to process romance, ambiguity and healing.

She noted that even as heartbreak topped the mood charts, Nigerians were not navigating these emotions alone.

According to her, Valentine’s Day 2025 was described as the “Blendiest” day of the year, with collaborative listening peaking as users merged Afrobeats, street-pop and R&B into shared playlists.

Top Blend tracks included Fido’s ‘Awolowo’, OdumoduBlvck’s ‘Juju’ (with Smur Lee & Shallipopi)
,and Rema’s ‘Fi Kan We Kan’.

“In direct song shares, listeners leaned toward emotionally direct records such as Future’s ‘Worst Day’ and Drake’s ‘Give Me A Hug’.

Okumu said the broader Valentine season was also expanding beyond romance into friendships and community.

“Globally, ‘Galentine’ playlist creation rose by more than 70 per cent year-on-year, reflecting how many young listeners are marking the day through peer support as much as romantic connection.

“Faith-based podcasts also remained highly visible on Feb. 14, alongside relationship-centred conversations, pointing to a listening culture where romance, spirituality and community wisdom coexist.

“This year’s Valentine’s data presents a portrait of a generation redefining connection: emotionally fluent, culturally hybrid, community-oriented, and unafraid of contradiction”.

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Our correspondent,nreports that the ace actor had earlier made a post on Instagram announcing his birthday.

He said: “Today, I celebrate my 51st birthday with a heart full of gratitude and reflection.

“As I embrace this new year of life, I want to take a moment to honor the memories of those we recently lost: Bukky Coker, Gbenga Adenowo, and Omolara Obatolu.

“In their memory, I dedicate this special day to them, praying for comfort and strength for their families during this difficult time.

“I am truly grateful for the gift of life and the love of my family and friends.

“Here’s to cherishing every moment and holding our loved ones even closer.

“Thank you, God, for the blessings in my life and for the memories that will always remain in our hearts. #BirthdayReflections #InMemory Gratitude #51AndThriving #Blessed #Joyinoverdrive.”

Following the post, his fans, well-wishers and industry colleagues have flooded social media with goodwill messages and prayers for the ace thespian.

Iam_osayandeogiemwonyi posted: “Happy birthday papa. May this new chapter be a new beginning of God’s innumerable blessings in your life.”

25billiondollars said: “This is so amazing, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU SIR. God bless you. We believe you wella. Our future president.”

Olori_Folaademi offered prayers for him,”Happy birthday Hon. DOE. Age with God’s unending grace and increase in all that you do.”

Odamttencharlotte said “Happy birthday my big boss. May God continue to bless you n give you more years. Enjoy to the day to max sir.”

Frankysage wrote “Happy Birthday Sir, Long Life and Prosperity, Good Health, More answers to your secret prayers, Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding of God, More Light of God Shine Upon Your Life in Jesus Mighty Name I Pray, AMEN.”

Also, some of the veteran actor’s colleagues in the motion picture industry offered glowing birthday wishes to him.

Ufuoma Mcdermott(ufuomamcdermott), said, “Happy birthday dearest. Blessings unending.”

Chioma Akpotha (chiomakpotha) wrote “Happy birthday Dessy.”

Iniedo said “Happiest birthday Des.”

Nancy Isime(nancyisimeofficial) “Happy Birthday Uncle Des.”

Ace comedian and actor (aycomedian) wrote,”Happy birthday brotherly.”

NAN reports that Desmond Elliot, born Feb. 4, 1974, in Lagos, began his career in television soap operas such as Everyday People, One Too Much and Saints and Sinners.

He later became one of Nollywood’s leading actors, appearing in over 200 films, including Men Who Cheat, Yahoo Millionaire and 30 Days in Atlanta.

The actor has received several major nominations, including African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 2006 and multiple Best Actor nominations at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards.

Beyond filmmaking, Elliot ventured into politics in 2014 where he contested under the All-Progressives Congress and won the Surulere Constituency in the April 2015 Nigerian General Elections.

He is also known for his advocacy work, including involvement in initiatives aimed at addressing child illiteracy in Nigeria and across Africa.

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The AGN leadership had since October 2024 placed an indefinite suspension on the embattled actress following accusations of defamation against her colleagues and prominent Nigerians.

The guild said a two-year investigation by a panel it established showed that Halima Abubakar was culpable, and was consequently barred from participating in any AGN activities and film projects during this period.

Our correspondent reports that outgoing national president of AGN, Emeka Rollas, announced lifting of the suspension at the inauguration ceremony of the guild’s new National Executive Council (NEC).

The event brought together actors from different states, as well as filmmakers and other stakeholders in the entertainment sector, at the AGN national secretariat on Thursday in Abuja,

Rollas, whose second and final tenure ended in December 2025, handed over to Abubakar Yakubu as the new national president of the guild.

According to Rollas, the guild’s leadership has decided to use the occasion to announce the lifting of Halima’s suspension and that of other erring members to enable them return to the association.

“There were persons that we have suspended according to the AGN law, and because I’m leaving office, I don’t want to leave them suspended.

“Halima Abubakar took AGN to court claiming a frivolous amount of money, but we had our investigations, and we suspended her from all acting and all AGN activities.

“However, since acting remains her main source of livelihood, it would be wicked for us to leave her like that.

“Therefore today, by the powers imposed on me by the Board of Trustees and the entire Actors Guild of Nigeria, I hereby lift Halima Abubakar’s suspension,” he said.

Rollas also announced the lifting of the suspension of Christopher Igboji, Chidi Concord, Dan Ewerem and Jeff Okwute, who are members of Enugu State chapter of the guild.

Earlier in his welcome address, Chuks Chyke, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the inauguration, lauded the outgoing president for his courage and inclusive leadership style that has stabilised the guild.

According to him, “Your achievement will remain part of the legacy upon which we continue to build.”

While congratulating the new president and his team, Chyke urged them to see their election as a sacred trust and provide inclusive, and visionary leadership.

“Today marks a historical moment in the life of the Actors Guild of Nigeria as we witness the peaceful transition of leadership and the inauguration of a new president and National Executive Council.

“This occasion reflects the strength of our institution, the maturity of our processes, and the unity of our creative family.

“I sincerely commend the immediate past president and executives for their service, sacrifice and dedication; your tenure strengthens the foundation of the guild, expanded our professional relevance and upheld the dignity of the Nigerian actor.”

The chairman urged members of the guild across the country to support and cooperate with the new president and his team to build a stronger, united and globally respected guild.

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Our correspondent reports that the film has grossed over N2 billion at the box office.

In an Instagram post, NFC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ali Nuhu, on Instagram, praised the film’s record-breaking commercial performance in key markets, including the UK and Ireland, where it is the top-grossing Nollywood title.

He attributed the success to the team’s creative vision, production, and distribution strategies, as well as the dedication of the cast and crew.

Nuhu wrote; “The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) extends its heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Funke Akindele and the entire ‘Behind The Scenes’ team on achieving a historic milestone in African cinema.

“The film has officially grossed over ₦2 billion at the box office, making it the first Nollywood production in Africa to cross this threshold in ticket sales.

“Behind The Scenes, released on 12 December 2025, has not only resonated with audiences nationwide but has also recorded record-breaking commercial performance in key markets.

“From an industry perspective, ‘Behind The Scenes’ reflects a significant evolution in Nollywood’s commercial and artistic maturity.

“Milestones such as: fastest film in West Africa to cross the ₦1 billion mark within weeks of release, the highest single-day gross recorded on Boxing Day.”

According to Nuhu, now this underscores the growing strength of Nigeria’s cinema market and its capacity to compete on the global stage.

“The Nigerian Film Corporation celebrates this milestone as a collective win for Nollywood, the creative economy, and for Nigerian storytelling worldwide.

“We commend the filmmaker, cast, crew, exhibitors, distributors, and, most importantly, the fans whose support turned this cinematic endeavour into a historic success,” he said.

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Insights from Spotify’s 2025 Wrapped revealed that streaming platforms have evolved from passive libraries into active cultural engines, helping a new generation of African artistes connect directly with listeners.

In Nigeria, the impact has been striking, with several homegrown acts recording some of the strongest growth figures across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

The clearest signal came from Mavo, whose streams jumped by an extraordinary 13,000 per cent in 2025.

Spotify said the surge reflects a shift away from traditional gatekeepers, as listeners increasingly discovered and elevated new music in real time through digital platforms.

Beyond headline growth figures, the Nigerian data also pointed to changing listener preferences.

Sound of Salem recorded a 3,700 per cent uplift while SteveHills followed with 1,300 per cent, aligning with what Spotify described as a growing spiritual undercurrent in Nigeria’s digital listening habits.

FOLA also stood out as one of the country’s most balanced success stories.

With a 940 per cent increase in streams and a strong showing among top local discoveries, he demonstrated the rare ability to combine viral traction with sustained audience interest.

Spotify said the Nigerian experience mirrored a broader continental recalibration that took shape in 2025.

While 2024 confirmed African music as a global export, the past year marked a moment when the continent looked inward and discovered something entirely new, as audiences embraced fresh, local voices.

In Ghana, Gonaboy and Jubed emerged from the underground with stream uplifts of 1,228 per cent and 1,057 per cent respectively, driven by listeners’ appetite for new narratives.

East Africa, however, produced the most dramatic breakout.

Kenyan artiste, Toxic Lyrikali, recorded a remarkable 22,000 per cent increase in streams, the highest uplift across SSA.

Spotify data showed that he ranked as the number one most discovered artiste and the leading local discovery from new listeners, which signaled a generational shift in a market long dominated by established names.

South Africa also delivered strong growth stories in its highly competitive Amapiano-driven scene.

Shandesh posted an 1,800 per cent uplift, ranking fourth on the Local Discoveries chart while Mordecai and Issa Sisdoh recorded gains of 1,200 per cent and 900 per cent respectively.

According to Spotify, what links emerging artistes from Lagos to Nairobi and Johannesburg is the distinct role of digital discovery.

“In 2025, streaming platforms transitioned beyond being libraries of music and turned into engines of culture.

“Artistes from all over the continent have found new ways to connect directly with their audiences, who are hungry for something new.

“The data is unequivocal.

“The audience is listening, and they are listening to the future.” Spotify said.

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