How Netflix is redefining Nollywood

By Aishah Saleeman  With its coming into Nigeria’s entertainment scene in 2020, Netflix has facilitated quality content and record-breaking box-office movies. Since its expansion, the company has partnered with popular Nollywood movie directors like Kunle Afolayan, Mo Abudu, Jade Osiberu to produce record-breaking movies. Netflix does not only feature its original movie/series. Over the years, […]

By Aishah Saleeman 

With its coming into Nigeria’s entertainment scene in 2020, Netflix has facilitated quality content and record-breaking box-office movies.

Since its expansion, the company has partnered with popular Nollywood movie directors like Kunle Afolayan, Mo Abudu, Jade Osiberu to produce record-breaking movies. Netflix does not only feature its original movie/series. Over the years, Nollywood movies that were not exclusive to Netflix or originally produced by Netflix have been licensed to stream on the platform.

The growth of Nollywood has unarguably been phenomenal since the intervention of Netflix. Kunle Afolayan had his movies streamed on Netflix before his partnership. His partnership included the production of three movies which will fall into the historical drama, folklore fantasy, and character drama categories, in which he had produced two: ‘Swallow’ – an adaptation of the third novel of Nigerian American writer Seffi Atta – and ‘A Naija Christmas’.

In an interview with Business Day, the movie producer Kunle Afolayan said that Netflix’s investment has been amazing on the African continent and Nigeria in particular, and their continued support of great storytelling shows. He added that the African continent presents brilliant creatives and talent and he’s excited for the rest of the world to enjoy our distinct voices.

Kunle terms this partnership as an incredible opportunity and one that made him humble. A platform like Netflix believes in African artists and content and has allowed them to showcase their art on a global stage. This as well implies that doors are finally being opened for African creatives.

Netflix has also partnered with Nigerian filmmaker Mo Abudu to create new content from Nigeria. The partnership with Netflix will see on-screen adaptations of literary works by two award-winning Nigerian authors, Lola Shoneyin and Wole Soyinka.

“We are the first African production company that Netflix has signed a multiple title deal with. I pray there are many more, because it will be great to see so many more filmmakers and storytellers empowered on the continent, but we are the first. It’s been wonderful working with them. They are such a great team of creatives and have a very collaborative approach to work.” She said, in an interview with Hollywood reporter.

Nollywood’s veteran filmmaker and actor, Bimbo Manuel commended the influence of Netflix in the Nollywood industry. He appreciates the ‘younger people’ in the movie industry who are making waves on Netflix. He said Nollywood movies on Netflix are now being watched globally and it’s an impressive move for the industry.

Netflix has sponsored record breaking Nollywood series like ‘The return of the king’, ‘Blood Sisters’ which has topped the top 10 charts globally. ‘Blood sisters’ is still trending globally as of today. Lion heart is a 2018 movie produced by Genevieve Nnaji; it was bought by Netflix making it the first Netflix original movie produced in Nigeria.

Over the years, Netflix has also sponsored/partnered in movies that have won awards in the recently concluded African magic viewer’s choice awards (AMVCA). Notable among them are ‘Rattlesnake’, a movie directed by popular film maker Ramsey Nouah; ‘Amina’, directed by Izu Ojukwu, among others. These movies won more than one award respectively in different categories.

It is no doubt that Netflix aided the recognition of these movies.

Netflix has also partnered to produce soap operas like ‘Castle and Castle’, a Nigerian series which premiered in the year 2018 and is streaming exclusively on Netflix. It is a Nigerian and Africa’s first legal series which features the story of a legal family characterized by love, drama, and betrayal.