Nollywood, the film industry in Nigeria, has become the second biggest in the world. (2024)

Nollywood, as the film industry in that country is commonly called, turns out more than 2500 movies annually and is only behind Hollywood as the biggest producer of movies in the world.

The importance of the cinema in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, could already be seen coming three years ago when The Wedding Party, a romantic comedy directed by Kemi Adetiba, earned 1.5 million dollars, a record for a Nigerian film.

The success of this comedy lead to the filming of a sequel, The Wedding Party II. The financial returns of this far surpassed those of the first part and called the attention of Netflix, which acquired the two films for broadcast from their platform.

On another front, the French group Vivendi Canal Plus has also decided to invest in this industry and, in 2019, acquired Iroko TV, the biggest internet and entertainment company in Nigeria, where it broadcasts television dramas to all the world.

Today the film industry employs at least one million workers and is an essential part of the entertainment sector, which according to data from the international consultant PwC, contributed 2.3% (660 million dollars) to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Nigeria. For this year PwC foresees an increase in the earnings of this industry to one billion dollars, all from exports.

At a time when Nigeria is experiencing a deep recession due to the falling price of oil, the country´s main export, the success of the film industry here is viewed by the government as excellent news.

Nollywood, the film industry in Nigeria, has become the second biggest in the world. (2024)

FAQs

Nollywood, the film industry in Nigeria, has become the second biggest in the world.? ›

Nollywood is the second largest film industry in the world after Bollywood in India. Nollywood produces more than 2,000 movies each year and has an estimated annual revenue of $1.2 billion, making it one of the most prolific film industries in the world.

Is Nollywood the second largest film industry in the world? ›

Nollywood is the second largest film industry in the world after Bollywood in India. Nollywood produces more than 2,000 movies each year and has an estimated annual revenue of $1.2 billion, making it one of the most prolific film industries in the world.

Is Nigeria's second largest export of Nollywood films? ›

Nollywood, Nigeria's second-largest film industry, has risen from modest beginnings, revolutionizing storytelling and challenging societal norms, making a significant impact on the global film landscape.

Which country is no 2 in film industry? ›

Most movies are made in the United States, particularly in Hollywood, California. However, there are also significant film industries in other countries such as India (Bollywood), China, and the United Kingdom.

Is Nollywood the second best in the world? ›

It's the second-largest film industry in the world, boasting numbers second only to Bollywood. Now, Nigerian Cinema is going big on production quality and focusing on a younger generation. We take a look at Nollywood's rise to glory and the role that Canon has been playing in supporting a new wave of filmmakers.

Which country owns Nollywood? ›

Nollywood, a portmanteau of Nigeria and Hollywood, is a sobriquet that originally referred to the Nigerian film industry. The origin of the term dates back to the early 2000s, traced to an article in The New York Times.

What's bigger, Bollywood or Nollywood? ›

What is Nollywood? The Nigerian film industry, known as Nollywood, is the second-largest in the world in terms of output, turning out over 2,500 movies each year. This amount tops Hollywood and is only surpassed by Bollywood in India.

How big is the Nigerian film industry? ›

The Nigerian Film Industry (Nollywood) is globally recognised as the second largest film producer in the world. The Industry is a significant part of the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Sector which contributed 2.3% (NGN239biliion) to Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2016.

Is Nollywood the largest film industry in the world? ›

The Nigerian film industry, known as Nollywood, is the second-largest in the world in terms of output, turning out over 2,500 movies each year. This amount tops Hollywood and is only surpassed by Bollywood in India.

Why is Nollywood so successful? ›

Low Production Costs: Nollywood films are known for their relatively low production costs. This makes it possible for a wide range of filmmakers to produce content, resulting in a large volume of films being made. Low budgets also mean that Nollywood movies are often financially accessible to a broad audience.

What is the impact of Nollywood? ›

With an output of over 2,500 movies per year, Nollywood employs over a million people, making it Nigeria's second-largest employer. More importantly, it contributes immensely to the Nigerian economy, second only to oil and gas.

What is the 3rd largest film industry in the world? ›

India is the third-largest film producer in the world, behind the United States and China. The Indian film industry, also known as Bollywood, produces a large number of films each year in various languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and others.

How much is Nollywood worth? ›

“To put the financial impact of Nollywood on the socioeconomic landscape in proper perspective, we must consider the known fact that the Nigerian movie industry is currently ranked the second largest film industry globally with the financial value of the film industry put at over $6.4 billion as of 2021.

Which country is the richest in film industry? ›

For a number of years the Indian film industry has ranked first in the world in terms of annual film output. In 2022, Indian cinema earned ₹15,000 crore ($1.7955 billion) at the box-office. Indian cinema is composed of multilingual and multi-ethnic film art.

What is bigger, Bollywood or Nollywood? ›

Cinematographer Tunji Akinsehinwa has shot everything from a zombie horror film to a Netflix fairytale romance series—all for Nigeria's booming film industry, known as Nollywood. Nollywood has quickly become the second largest film industry in the world in terms of film output (behind India's Bollywood).

What is the ranking of the Nigeria movie industry? ›

The Nigerian Film Industry (Nollywood) is globally recognised as the second largest film producer in the world.

How big is the Nollywood industry? ›

The sector has moved from the production and distribution of 1,800 films worth $5.1 billion in 2013 to 2,500 films worth $6.4 billion and counting. This makes Nigeria the 2nd largest film producer in the world.”

Why is Nollywood so big? ›

Prior to the mass production of movies in Nigeria, Africans and people of African descent had only been served by film or video produced by either Europeans or Americans. Nollywood made it possible for Africans to view films made by fellow Africans on a huge scale for the first time.

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