Communiqué relaunches community events with conversation on Nollywood’s streaming era

After a two-year hiatus, Communiqué, a media, advisory and data intelligence firm, has reintroduced its signature community events with a fresh new format, Communiqué IRL (Communiqué in Real Life), a live networking and conversation series designed to bring Africa’s creative economy together. The Lagos Edition, held on Friday, 14th of March at the British Council, […]

After a two-year hiatus, Communiqué, a media, advisory and data intelligence firm, has reintroduced its signature community events with a fresh new format, Communiqué IRL (Communiqué in Real Life), a live networking and conversation series designed to bring Africa’s creative economy together.

The Lagos Edition, held on Friday, 14th of March at the British Council, Ikoyi, brought together a vibrant mix of filmmakers, actors, producers, directors, storytellers, influencers, and creative economy professionals for an evening of insightful discussions and meaningful connections.

At the heart of the event was a thought-provoking fireside chat featuring Chris Odeh, CEO & Senior Producer at Sozo Films, in conversation with David Adeleke, Founder of Communiqué.
The discussion explored Nollywood’s evolving relationship with streaming platforms and how these services are shaping storytelling, distribution, and revenue models.

“We’re used to this in Nigeria. We are used to taking crude from the ground, shipping it abroad for them to refine it, and sending it back to us, for us to buy. But in the creative world, you cannot do that. You mine and refine before you send it out because the value is in the refined product not in the crude. You can’t just think of a story and send it out.” Odeh remarked.

“We need to make our content original so it can travel. Let’s stop seeing marketing to the diaspora as ‘exporting content.’”
Odeh also emphasized the importance of collaboration over competition in Nollywood, urging creatives to contribute to different parts of the industry’s value chain rather than focusing solely on independent productions. He advised filmmakers to rethink how they assess a film’s worth, not just in terms of the cost of making the film but in the overall impact and to explore sponsorships beyond financial backing. The conversation also touched on growing cinema culture in Nigeria and attracting private investment into the industry.

Supported by Filmmakers Mart, Rollpay, British Council, and WiiCreate, Communiqué IRL is bridging the gap between digital conversations and in-person networking, fostering a space for creatives to exchange ideas, spark collaborations, and deepen industry relationships.

“This edition of Communiqué IRL proved that people crave high-quality conversations and networking,” said Adeleke. “Our fireside chat explored the dynamics between Nollywood and streaming platforms, the successes, the challenges, and the opportunities ahead. Nigeria’s creative economy is gradually developing, and we are excited about the role that our platform is playing in this process.”