Nigeria’s Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy Minister, Hannatu Musa Musawa, the Director-General of National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Shaibu Husseini, and other industry leaders are urging Nollywood to focus more on producing high-quality films to improve regulation, boost digital growth, and support long-term funding.
The Nollywood stakeholders made the call on Tuesday at the 5th PAO Nigeria Digital Content Regulation Conference held in Lagos. The conference, themed “From Volume to Value: The Future of the Nigerian Motion Picture Industry in the Digital Age,” was held in honour of the late Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, a pioneering Nigerian filmmaker, entertainment executive, and cultural visionary who passed away in 2023 at the age of 54.
|
|
She founded the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) through the Africa Film Academy in 2005, which has since become one of Africa’s most prestigious film award ceremonies. She initiated the ‘Film-in-a-Box’ project, training over 5,000 young filmmakers and establishing filmmaking centres in several African countries.
Codes and standards
In his opening remarks at the conference, Director-General of the NFVCB, Shaibu Husseini, announced that the NFVCB has achieved significant success in fostering knowledge and innovation, positioning Nigeria’s movie industry competitively in global markets.
|
|
|
|---|
He explained that the standards set by NFVCB have contributed to the growth of the film production industry and protected young people in Nigeria from harmful substances.
“This conference was designed to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and responsible innovation in a fast-evolving digital landscape. In this time, we have worked with purpose and determination to strengthen the regulatory foundations of our industry while enabling creativity, innovation, and global competitiveness.
“Our journey has been exciting and instructive, marked by significant milestones. For instance, we have enhanced regulatory efficiency, including the introduction of a quick comeback time for film classification.
“We have enabled filmmakers to obtain their certificates swiftly and distribute their works without unnecessary delays. We have strengthened compliance and enforcement to ensure that films meet statutory standards and that audiences, especially young people, are protected from harmful or classified content,” Mr Husseini said.
The NFVCB also highlighted several challenges facing the board, noting that these issues are hindering the effective enforcement of standards in film production and distribution across the country.
“We have fostered collaboration and digital innovation, leveraging technology to improve licensing, distribution processes, and intellectual property protection.
“These achievements reflect the hard work of the NFVCB management and staff, the cooperation of industry stakeholders, and the resilience of the Nigerian creative community.
“Yet, despite this progress, the industry continues to face challenges that demand urgent attention. One of the most pressing issues is the unauthorised uploading, streaming, and distribution of films on online platforms without recourse to the NFVCB for classification or licensing.”
Mr Hussein, however, called for general compliance of filmmakers with NFVCB codes and standards. He said, “Sections 2B and E, and Sections 25, 28, and 31 of the NFVCB Act make this an offence, yet many practitioners and some telcos continue to distribute unclassified films.
“We appeal for full compliance as we deepen our digital licensing system, enhance enforcement structures, and expand capacity-building to make compliance easier, faster, and more transparent,” he said.
Quality production
Speaking at the conference, the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hassanatu Musa Musawa, was represented by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Ali Nuhu, who stated that emerging digital demands in film production have made it necessary for Nollywood to prioritise quality over quantity.
“Nollywood has long been celebrated for its incredible volume and the relentless creativity of its storytellers, but the digital age demands a new frontier, one where quality, structure, sustainability, and global competitiveness define our next chapter.
“With streaming platforms, broadband expansion, digital distribution, artificial intelligence, and new content consumption patterns rewriting the rules of production and monetisation, this moment presents an opportunity for true transformation,” he said.
The minister also highlighted her ministry’s plans to work with international partners to promote high-quality film production in Nigeria’s movie industry.
“To move from volume to value, we must strengthen creative standards, reinforce global competitiveness, and protect intellectual property in a digital era where piracy has evolved. Quality is no longer optional, and our regulatory framework must evolve accordingly.
“As a ministry, we are collaborating with guilds, digital platforms, and international partners to ensure creators earn fully and fairly from their work. Nollywood must be prolific and profitable, visible and valuable, African in identity and global in reach,” she said.
Cultural identity
Speaking on the importance of the film sector, the Queen of Ooni of Ife, Osun State, Temitope Ogunwusi, royal mother of the event, urged filmmakers to prioritise nurturing young and creative talents, describing them as the lifeblood of Nollywood’s ecosystem.
“When I am exhausted or restless, the only thing that comes to mind is to sit back, relax, and watch a movie. Nollywood’s products are adaptable and forward-thinking, and we must protect our intellectual properties with unwavering vigilance.
“We must nurture talents, young, diverse, creative, and bold, because our filmmakers, producers, writers, directors, animators, content creators, and digital storytellers are the lifeblood of this ecosystem.
The queen further emphasised that film production should focus not only on quantity, but also on creating films rooted in traditional values that can carry Nigeria’s heritage across borders.
“These stories must inspire our people and reflect our values. They must carry our heritage across borders. We must raise the next generation to think, dream, and believe.
“Our focus should be rooted not only in the quantity of what we produce, but in the enduring value of what we create. This is how we preserve identity and strengthen the cultural relevance of Nollywood,” Mr Ogunwusi said.
Value over volume
Filmmaker and keynote speaker, Bolanle Austen-Peters, in her keynote speech at the conference, said Nollywood’s achievements have come despite persistent challenges in funding, infrastructure, and distribution.
“We struggle for many reasons, including funding, lack of infrastructure, and distribution. Yet despite that, we keep churning out content after content and have built an industry that the world now recognises as number two in terms of content production.”
Speaking on the conference theme, she urged the industry to reassess its long-standing dependence on sheer output.
“Today, I want us to talk about the topic ‘volume to value.’ We say Nollywood is number two in the world, but the question is whether volume versus value and quality versus quantity must be mutually exclusive. Can we have a voluminous industry that is also qualitative?” She queried.
Ms Austen-Peters noted that the industry’s foundation in high-volume production is tied to economic realities, which she said many filmmakers used as a means of survival in the games.
“Nollywood was built on volume. Many films are produced daily, driven by the need for survival, as people must work and sustain themselves in an industry where subsistence is the primary goal.
“Exhibitors and distributors demand content, and young filmmakers need to build their bodies of work. Inevitably, quality is sometimes compromised.”
She added that relevance, targeted audiences, and market demand also shape production choices, stating that audience demographics determine what is appealing and of quality to them.
“Some produce films regularly to remain relevant. Others target specific audiences who enjoy the stories regardless of technical flaws.
“People are watching, and producers recognise that they have a market, so they continue to produce. While we may say the content is not good enough, the truth is that these films are telling our stories and meeting audience demand,” the filmmaker said.
READ ALSO: New Afrik International Film Festival targets African narratives, capacity-building
Bank of Industry
Additionally, Olasupo Olusi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Industry (BOI), stated that Nollywood’s rise to become the world’s second-largest film industry, producing approximately 2,500 films annually, reflects Nigeria’s creativity, resilience, and cultural strength.
“Nollywood has become the cornerstone of our creative economy, creating jobs, celebrating our culture, and amplifying Nigeria’s voice around the world,” he said.
He added that, beyond entertainment, the sector drives youth empowerment, innovation, and economic diversification, noting that the BOI is supporting this growth through the $617 million IDICE programme, which aims to help filmmakers and entrepreneurs turn their creativity into jobs and sustainable development.
The financial expert further explained that the BOI’s long-term vision is to deepen Nigeria’s digital and creative economy through targeted investment. “Under our 2025–2027 corporate strategy, at least 15 per cent of BOI’s funding will support digital and ICT projects,” he stated.
According to him, sustained investment in digital infrastructure, skills development, and partnerships linking creativity with technology remains essential. “By strengthening these foundations, we can enable a Nollywood that is globally competitive, innovative, and sustainable,” Mr Olusi concluded.
