Evolution of Nollywood and The Impact of Creative Industry on Nigeria’s Economy

By Calista Oyeoba / posted November 14, 2024

The Nigerian film industry, known as Nollywood ranks second globally in production volume, creating over 2,500 films annually. This unprecedented growth has provided career opportunities for Nigeria locally and internationally, making it a creative arts powerhouse.

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The story of Nigeria’s movie industry began during the colonial era, when movies were use as tool not only for entertainment also to disseminate messages in easy to understand ways. It is alleged that early missionaries used them for religious outreaches and proselyting. For instance, such instant movies like the “Palaver” (1926), “Sanders of the river” (1935),” and “The man from Morocco” (1945), were used to spread messages during the colonial era.

By 1940, movies have become a central part of life in vibrant cities like Lagos where many cinema places sprang up and mobile circus theatre troupes were established to entertain people. As technology advanced, those performance were recorded and shown in small motion picture houses, creating a rich blend of storytelling that captured the hearts of Nigerians.

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With Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the movie industry expanded. It was the Golden Age of Nigerian motion picture entertainment, although foreign films from America, India, and China soon control theaters. In response to the cultural invasion of Nigeria through films, the federal government took policy measures to regain control, issuing the nationalization Decree in 1972. This initiative brought theaters back under Nigerian ownership, encouraging local filmmaking and adaptation of homegrown stories.

The early 1990s marked the birth of Nollywood, a time when creativity flourished despite limited resources. Filmmakers started producing low-budget movies on video cassettes, capturing everyday life and touching deeply with audiences. With their good scripts, melodramatic plots and quick production schedules, home videos became a must-watch in the entertainment staple in many Nigerian homes.

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With a bang came the movie ‘Living in Bondage’ produced by Kenneth Nnebue in 1992 and this became the first actual Nollywood film and the feat was widely celebrated. It was a game-changer, proving that local stories could be woven into a mix of entertainment and regenerative business. Other Filmmakers heeded the clarion call and it has been growing in leaps.

Nigeria’s Nollywood steady growth from the days of small scale regional industry to become the second largest film industry is certainly remarkable. It came into being when a burgeoning home video market was producing quality movies even with shoestring budget.

In the 1990’s, films were made quickly and distributed on cassettes or cinematic reel born out of the need to access traditional films with good local narratives that can compete with stringent content in the global arena.

Blazing the trail for the industry were versatile producers and leaders Ola Balogun, Adeyemi Afolayan, Francis Oladele, Eddie Ugbo and Hubert Ogunde who’s remembered for his talented displays and cast ensemble. There are so many creative talents in the industry as at today, parading some notable names like Kenneth Okonkwo, Emeka Ike, Francis Duru, Victor Osuagwu, Kate Henshaw, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Mercy Johnson, Ini Edo, Rita Dominic, Chinedu Ikedieze of the Akin and Pawpaw fame, Genevieve Nnaji, Iyabo Ojo and an impressive roll call of great talents.

As a testimony to its global recognition, prime content distributor, Netflix launched its African content platform in 2020, featuring Nollywood films like “Lionheart” and series like “King of Boys” by Kemi Adetiba. Other platforms, including IrokoTV and Amazon Prime Video, have also embraced Nollywood, making Nigerian films more accessible globally.

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The days of shoestring budgets for Nollywood movie production is over. In recent times, some movies production almost broke bank. For instance, the recurrent budget for the ongoing Funke Akindele produced “Tribe Called Judah” streaming on Neflix has accumulated over N1.4 billion in production cost and programming.

Other films like “Omo Ghetto” and “Chief Daddy” are considered the highest earning movies with good production quality. Their storylines, accentuated with superb photographic shooting resonates with a wider audience of loyal following.

Nollywood influence and acceptance has extended beyond Africa, as evidenced with its partnership with other leading international films hub like the Hollywood and this has further expanded his distribution channels.

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Overall, the story of Nollywood cannot be completed without mentioning its impact on the economy. The industry has employed thousands of professionals, artisans and support staff across all demography and sectors, boosting intra economic activities that contributes to the nation’s GDP.
NOTE: This story was researched and written by Calista Onyeoba.
Calista is on internship at DDNEWSONLINE.COM from the Department of Mass Communication, Ekocity Polytechnic, Lagos.