Nollywood Producers Face Challenges with Netflix Partnerships

The recent rumor about Netflix potentially withdrawing from the Nigerian market has raised concerns among Nollywood producers. While Netflix quickly dismissed the claim, reiterating its dedication to supporting Nigerian stories, producers have begun voicing their experiences and challenges in collaborating with the streaming platform.

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Responding to the issue, renowned director and producer Lancelot Imasuen criticized Netflix’s reliance on third-party arrangements and advocated for direct engagement between the platform and content creators.

Imasuen’s historical film, “Invasion 1897,” was one of the first 10 films acquired by Netflix in Nigeria, but he feels that the platform’s format is limiting.

“Though Netflix is a blessing to the industry, I have , however, queried the firm’s format of acquisition and working with Nigerians. I feel strongly that they concentrated on one end of the film industry. They should open their doors for content creators to deal with them directly. As for commissioning of works, I feel that they should continue to commission works but democratize the process so that other filmmakers can showcase their talents,” Lancelot stated.

Alex Eyengho, former president of the Association of Core Nollywood Producers (ANCOP), echoed Imasuen’s sentiments, urging Netflix to democratize its process and remove the current system of middlemen, or “aggregators.”

“Netflix should open its doors to content creators/owners, albeit without lowering their standards. The system of aggregators who are akin to umpires also participating in the game, is not working. The system is not only retrogressive but evil,” Eyengho echoed

Fidelis Duker, founder of the Abuja International Film Festival, expressed that Netflix’s potential exit might not significantly impact the movie industry, as many filmmakers are already leveraging YouTube as a platform for their content.

Vanguard/Oluchi