Late last year, a rumour shook Nollywood to its core. Whispers filled social media . “Netflix is leaving Nigeria.” The thought alone sparked panic. Some people dismissed it as fake news. Others held their breath. But under the noise, one thing was clear, our overdependence on foreign streaming platforms is a dangerous game we have refused to stop playing.
Victor Okhai, President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria, added fuel to the fire when he claimed during the Zuma Film Festival that Netflix had stopped acquiring and funding Nigerian films as of November 2024. Netflix denied pulling out, but if you look closely, their body language has changed. There are fewer Nigerian Originals. Submissions now hang in limbo. The pace has slowed. And you don’t need a prophet to tell you that the love affair might be cooling off.
Our Netflix Addiction is Dangerous
The Nigerian film industry has become too comfortable. Netflix and Amazon Prime were a sweet escape route, funding came in, budgets grew, and we thought we had arrived. But did we truly build a strong foundation?
Netflix is a foreign platform. They came, they saw the potential, and they gave us a shot. But now, with less than 500,000 Nigerian subscribers in a country of over 200 million, the math isn’t mathing. Nigeria is tough. Na who dey subscribe for Netflix when food cost?
Amazon Prime Has Already Pulled Out
Amazon Prime Video entered Nigeria with a loud bang. They commissioned high-budget Nollywood content. But where are they now? . They came, saw the wahala, and packed their bags without looking back. That alone should have been our wake-up call. But as usual, we pressed snooze.
No Strong Local Alternatives
If Netflix and Amazon leave today, where do our movies go? YouTube? It’s already crowded. IrokoTV? Once a shining light, now it needs serious reinvention. With all due respect, what is the essence of being the second-largest film-producing country in the world if we’re entirely dependent on foreign platforms to distribute our stories?
India, for instance, has developed strong local distribution structures. Platforms like Hotstar, Zee5, and Eros Now are massive in their own country. They didn’t fold their arms waiting for Netflix to validate them. They built their own empires.
Cinemas Are Poking Filmmakers in the Eye
Let’s even talk about cinema. Filmmakers are complaining bitterly, and they have every right to. By the time the deductions and revenue sharing formulas are done, what’s left for the person who made the film? Sometimes it’s not even worth the stress.
To be honest, not all movies should go to the cinema. We all know that not every Nigerian can afford ₦5,000 or ₦7,000 for a movie ticket, not to mention popcorn and drinks. Nigeria’s economic reality doesn’t support it. The average Nigerian family can’t afford to take their kids to see a Nollywood film, no matter how good it is.
Are We Big for Clout or Big for Structure?
We can’t keep shouting “Nollywood is big” when we can’t even control how our movies get seen. Last year’s Netflix rumour shook the entire industry. That’s a red flag. It means we’re not secure. It means we don’t have a backup plan. It means we’re still freelancing our future.
Let’s stop doing only award shows, film premieres, and film villages. Those things are nice, but where will you show the film? Where will people watch it? If it’s not accessible, what’s the point?
We are smart in this country. We need to start thinking about real distribution systems. We need platforms built by us, for us. Because if we keep depending on platforms that weren’t built with our realities in mind, we will keep playing catch-up.
Nollywood, it’s time to grow up. Being big is not enough. We must be solid. We must build platforms, protect our content, invest in film insurance, and reduce overdependence on outsiders.
We can fix this. But first, let’s admit that we have a problem and that the solution won’t come from abroad. It must come from within.
Because one day, they might actually leave. And when they do, will we have anywhere to go? E don red be that!
