There has been worry among Nollywood producers over rumours that Netflix might leave the Nigerian market.
Although Netflix has denied these claims and promised to keep supporting Nigerian stories, producers are sharing their struggles with the streaming platform.
Famous producer and director Lancelot Imasuen criticized Netflix’s use of third-party agents for its deals. He called for direct partnerships between Netflix and Nigerian content creators.
Imasuen, whose historical film “Invasion 1897” was one of the first movies Netflix acquired in Nigeria, feels the platform’s system limits filmmakers.
“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,” Imasuen said.
Alex Eyengho, a former president of the Association of Core Nollywood Producers (ANCOP), agrees with Imasuen. He urged Netflix to stop using middlemen, called “aggregators,” and work directly with creators.
“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 stated.
Meanwhile, Fidelis Duker, founder of the Abuja International Film Festival, said that if Netflix were to leave, it might not have a huge impact. He explained that many Nigerian filmmakers already share their work on YouTube and other platforms.
