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8 Things That Will Surprise You About Nollywood

8 Things That Will Surprise You About Nollywood

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Nollywood sounds like Hollywood, but that’s where the resemblance ends. Nigeria’s booming movie industry creates more content than Hollywood, is better represented by at least one major streaming media company, and is arguably better received around the world than American films. Here are 8 things that will surprise you about the $3 billion Nollywood industry.

Source: Theworldfolio.com

Nollywood film set. Photo: Mfafrica.com
Nollywood film set. Photo: Mfafrica.com

It’s the second largest movie industry

Nollywood earned its spot as the second largest movie industry in 2009, producing more content than Hollywood and right behind India, which is in first place. Nollywood was already making strides in 1992 when filmmaker Kenneth Nnebue made a film that sold over 1 million copies. In 2013, the industry produced 1,844 movies and now averages 2,500 films a year. The Nigerian government values Nollywood at $3.3 billion.

Source: Fortune.com

Netflix
techweez.com

Nollywood on Netflix

Netflix spent $12 million to buy the movie rights for the Nigerian novel, “Beasts of No Nation.” Nollywood producer Kunle Afolyan made an exclusive distribution arrangement with the mega American media company for his film “October 1.” Netflix has already streamed nearly 20 Nollywood-affiliated films in 2016.

Source: Ogbongeblog.com

Nollywood film being shot. Photo: Thenational.ae
Nollywood film being shot. Photo: Thenational.ae

Competition in Nigeria

Nollywood is the name for the industry that makes English language films, and it isn’t Nigeria’s only movie industry. It has competition from within, including the Yoruba film industry in southwestern Nigeria and the Kano film industry, known as Kannywood and based in northern Nigeria. Kannywood makes films in the Igbo language, Hausa.

Source: Wipo.int

Nollywood films on iRoko. Photo: Bellanaija.com
Nollywood films on iRoko. Photo: Bellanaija.com

Nollywood on iRoko

iRokotv is the world’s largest online distributor of Nigerian films. In 2012 U.S. hedge fund Tiger Global Management invested $8 million in the streaming service. This helped boost Nollywood’s international exposure. Nollywood was trouble with piracy of its films. iRokotv has helped alleviate some of that. Irokotv streams over 6,000 Nigerian and Ghanaian films, according to its site.

Sources: Getjar.com, Wipo.int

Nollywood film. Photo: Nytimes.com
Nollywood film. Photo: Nytimes.com

Nollywood across Africa

Nollywood films have surpassed American, Indian and Chinese films across Africa. They’re shown on TVs in hair salons, airport lounges, hotel lobbies and other businesses throughout the continent. Several paid networks license Nigerian films, playing Nollywood films in over 53 African languages. Nollywood isn’t just an entertainment industry. The films are pumping Nigerian culture around Africa, and popularizing the country’s fashion, food and more.

Sources: Winpo.int, Nytimes.com

Nollywood film makers. Photo: Africvisions.com
Nollywood film makers. Photo: Africvisions.com

 

A massive employer

Nollywood employs a million people. The only Nigerian industry that employs more is agriculture. Nollywood contributes $600 million to the Nigerian economy yearly. The industry earns a lot but has relatively low overhead. Most Nollywood films have a budget of about $25,000 and are shot in a week. In the U.S., $250,000 is considered a small budget film.

Sources: Nytimes.com, Hollywoodreporter.com

Nollywood film in the making. Photo: Youtube.com
Nollywood film in the making. Photo: Youtube.com

 

Common themes

Nollywood films often depict the struggle of people caught between village and urban life. Nigeria is a family oriented culture, and Nollywood films often tell stories of people trying to balance familial obligations and personal ambitions. No one relates to Nollywood movies the way Africans do. All Africans, rich or poor, will see themselves in Nollywood films, according to a DRC linguist.

Source: Nytimes.com

Nollywood film festival. Photo: Xperiang.com
Nollywood film festival. Photo: Xperiang.com

Festivals and awards

A Nollywood film festival recently kicked off in Paris, part of the French film industry’s desire to build a relationship between the Nigerian film industry and Francophone audiences. At the 2015 Pan African film festival, the spotlight was on Nollywood. The festival made a point to show more Nollywood films than ever before, including those made by Nigerians living abroad.

Sources: Indiewire.com, Paff.org