Film Maker Kunle Afolayan Denies Rumour of Court Summons over N5bn Loan

Award-winning Nigerian filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has dismissed reports circulating on social media alleging that he was dragged to court over an unpaid ₦5 billion loan reportedly obtained from First Bank to finance his blockbuster film, Anikulapo.

The rumours, which originated from a blog post, claimed that the acclaimed director secured the loan in 2022 to produce the epic movie and agreed to repay it within three years. The report further alleged that Afolayan had repaid only half of the amount after Netflix acquired the film, prompting the bank to initiate legal action.

According to the unverified claims, First Bank had allegedly secured a court summons against the filmmaker, with the report citing an unnamed associate who claimed Afolayan had become unreachable after making the partial repayment.

However, Afolayan has firmly denied the allegations.

Speaking briefly to TheCable Lifestyle on Friday, the celebrated filmmaker described the reports as entirely false.

“It’s fake news,” he said, without providing further comments.

Neither First Bank nor any court has publicly confirmed the existence of such legal proceedings.

Afolayan remains one of Nigeria’s most celebrated filmmakers, renowned for producing critically acclaimed movies that have earned international recognition.

His latest project, Anikulapo: The Ghoul Awakens—a five-part Netflix mini-series and the sequel to the award-winning 2022 film Anikulapo—premiered on the streaming platform on 30 January, further expanding the successful franchise.