Toyin Abraham has set a new Nollywood record,, and she did it from the director’s chair.Her latest release, Oversabi Aunty just crossed the ₦1 billion mark at the Nigerian box office, closing in at approximately ₦1.017 billion. That number alone is impressive. What makes it historic is this: ‘Oversabi Aunty’ is the first-ever Nollywood directorial debut to reach ₦1 billion in ticket sales. No soft launch. No gradual climb. Just a confident first swing that connected hard.
In the process, the film also became the fourth highest-grossing Nollywood movie of all time, placing Abraham in a league dominated by long-established box office heavyweights. For a filmmaker directing her first feature, this is not just a win. It is a statement.
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A Debut That Refused to Play Small
Toyin Abraham did not ease into directing. She stepped in fully formed.
She wrote, produced, and directed Oversabi Aunty, betting on her understanding of Nigerian audiences and their appetite for stories that blend humour, faith, family, and chaos in familiar proportions.
The film follows Toun, an overzealous and deeply opinionated aunt whose attempts to fix everyone’s life spiral into a series of comic and emotional consequences. It is funny, uncomfortable, and unavoidably relatable.
What stands out is how assured the storytelling feels. Nothing about Oversabi Aunty reads like a tentative first attempt. The pacing is deliberate. The characters feel lived-in. The humour lands because it recognises everyday Nigerian dynamics rather than exaggerating them into caricature.
Abraham’s direction leans into character-driven comedy instead of spectacle, and that choice paid off. Audiences showed up in numbers that Nollywood rarely sees for debut directors. Within six weeks of its December 19, 2025 release, the film had already secured its place in history.
Box Office Numbers and Industry History
According to official figures released by distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, Oversabi Aunty currently ranks as the fourth highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time. It trails only Behind The Scenes, Everybody Loves Jenifa, and A Tribe Called Judah, all directed by Funke Akindele.
That context matters. These films represent years of box office dominance, brand-building, and audience trust. For Oversabi Aunty to break into that list as a directorial debut signals a shift in Nollywood’s power dynamics. It proves that first-time directors can compete at the highest commercial level when the story connects and the execution holds.
The film also benefited from strong ensemble casting. Performances from Mike Ezuruonye, Efe Irele, Enioluwa Adeoluwa, and a wider supporting cast added texture and range, giving the story multiple emotional entry points for viewers. Abraham’s ability to manage tone across comedy and sincerity speaks to her growth behind the camera.
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What This Means for Toyin Abraham and Nollywood
This milestone reshapes Toyin Abraham’s career narrative.She is no longer just a bankable actress or a reliable producer. She has entered the industry as a proven director with a billion-naira debut. That kind of credibility changes conversations around funding, creative control, and future projects. It also raises expectations.
More broadly, Oversabi Aunty reinforces a growing truth about Nollywood audiences. They reward authenticity, cultural specificity, and stories that feel grounded in real social experiences. The success of this film suggests that comedy rooted in character and social observation still carries massive commercial power.
As Abraham herself noted in her emotional response to the achievement, this journey did not come easy. But the numbers do not lie. Nigerian audiences showed up, and they showed out.
For Nollywood, this is another sign that the industry is expanding not just in scale, but in confidence. New voices are stepping into leadership roles and delivering results that rival established giants.
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