The Nigerian Nollywood industry has really fallen off. We’re already in the third quarter of the year, and there hasn’t been a single film people are genuinely anticipating with high expectations. Yet we still claim to be one of the biggest film industries in the world. Look at Hollywood for instance. There’s always a lineup of movies people are eagerly waiting for each year. There’s structure, build-up, and quality control. Nollywood, on the other hand, is being watered down. Too many YouTube-style productions, movies shot in one apartment with barely three characters, rushed storylines, and releases every other day. It’s all starting to feel like quantity over quality, with that same recycled “Odogwu Paranranra” energy. Skit makers are suddenly turning into actors overnight, and it’s dragging the standard down. Old Nollywood made movies that lasted in our memories long after we finished watching them, with lessons learned from them. Then there’s the issue of mismanagement. The same culture of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds is part of why platforms like Netflix pulled back. How do you receive, say, a $1 million budget and end up with a $100,000-looking production? And then turn around to complain that the industry isn’t getting enough support like the music industry. Until the people at the top of Nollywood decide to get serious and restore some discipline and standards, the industry will keep circling in mediocrity.

Remember

This year is a little late, but it came. My yearly roundup: Prospects for Nollywood in 2026: A Year in Review and a Look Ahead medium.com/p/prospects-for-n…