Achalugo, I already know how this is going to end. If your partner has never hit you with this line during an argument, or you don’t recognize it, my dear, are you even Nigerian? Someone told me these exact words at the bank the other day, and without thinking, I responded, “Odogwu please.” That’s when I knew Nollywood had us in a chokehold again.
Omoni Oboli did a number on Nigerians with Love in Every Word. For weeks, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter were flooded with that exact phrase—people used it in arguments, captions, and even to shade their exes. And guess what? The movie didn’t land on Netflix, Prime, or even in cinemas. It premiered on YouTube. Yes, YouTube! And it’s currently raking in over 20 million views. If you’re shocked, stay with me.
Back in 2024, Nollywood filmmaker Ruth Kadiri caused a revolution when her movie Better Half dropped on YouTube. Chidi Dike, the film’s lead actor, was literally thrown in our faces. Nigerians swooned over him, memes were created, and in just a year, the film had amassed 21 million views. But here’s the real truth—Ruth Kadiri later revealed she had made over a billion naira from YouTube alone.
Omo! Nollywood actors’ eyes opened! Suddenly, every actor and their cousins jumped on the trend. Today, almost every Nollywood star has a YouTube channel, churning out movies faster than we can keep up. But with that came something darker: recycled storylines, tired narratives, and overused actors. Nigerians, as expected, did not hold back. They took to Facebook and started calling out YouTube filmmakers for sloppy continuity, terrible costuming, poor editing, and rushed productions. It became clear that the hunger for fast money had replaced the hunger for quality storytelling.
So, are we losing quality for quantity?
The YouTube Revolution: Blessing or Curse?
There’s no denying that YouTube has democratized filmmaking. It has allowed more stories to be told and made Nollywood films accessible to people who can’t afford Netflix, Prime, or Showmax subscriptions. With just data, you can be entertained from anywhere. However, the mad rush to be a YouTube filmmaker has turned the industry into a content factory. How can you release a new movie every week? You shoot for one week? Edit in that same week? No wonder there are glaring errors in lighting, sound, and continuity. Filmmaking is now being reduced to ‘just drop something for the fans.’
The Truth About Nollywood’s ‘Content Factories’
Here’s the thing—there will always be Grade A, B, C, and D movies in Nollywood. Some filmmakers will strive for quality, while others will continue mass-producing low-budget films. But YouTube itself isn’t the problem. The real issue is greed. Creativity and greed don’t mix! YouTube should be an opportunity for experimentation, innovation, and expansion, not a dumping ground for rushed productions.
Not all YouTube movies are bad, though. Ugwu Arese’s Smart Money Woman 2 was released on YouTube—yes, YouTube! And it was a well-executed project and there are several others that are really good. The platform is not the enemy. The issue is how we use it.
A Solution? Create Competition Within the Space
One way to fix this issue is through recognition. Did you notice that the 2025 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) completely excluded YouTube films? That’s a mistake. The rush to YouTube is undeniable, so why not create a dedicated category for YouTube films? If YouTube filmmakers know that their work can earn them recognition on a prestigious stage, they will start prioritizing quality. Nobody wants to be left out.
Competition breeds excellence. The moment YouTube movies become award-worthy, filmmakers will start paying more attention to details—better scripts, improved production quality, and stronger storytelling. Like it or not, YouTube movies are here to stay. It’s time we stopped seeing them as an afterthought and started treating them like a part of the mainstream industry.
So, Achalugo, we already know how this will end. How do you respond????????
