The Nigerian film trade, ranked because the second fastest-growing movie sector globally after Hollywood, has change into the cynosure of Africa’s storytelling village. With substantial investments from trade giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and others, Nollywood is on a trajectory of unprecedented development.
Over the previous three years, Nigeria’s field workplace has generated a cumulative income of N19 billion. Regardless of this spectacular determine, the trade has many lengthy battles particularly for an trade value $6.4 billion and regularly rising, from getting the proper expertise to sourcing manufacturing places to finance.
Nonetheless, because the trade navigates these hurdles, a number of CEOs are making vital contributions in the direction of sustainable growth. They’re leveraging know-how to bridge these gaps in an trade suffering from many infrastructural issues.
Nairametrics highlights a few of Nigeria’s filmtech startups which can be disrupting the $6.4 billion Nollywood trade and driving its transformation via native options.
Soji Ogunnaike-Co founder Dashing Faucet
Soji Ogunnaike has carved a distinct segment for himself within the media trade with a profession spanning over twenty years.
Earlier than co-founding Dashing Faucet, Soji served because the MD/CEO of 601 Realtime Ltd from January 2006 to July 2015. For 9 years and 7 months, he guided the corporate with imaginative and prescient and efficient administration, reaching vital milestones in media manufacturing.
Soji’s media journey started even earlier. From March 2002 to April 2004, he labored as a Senior Editor and Animator at Eastend Audioviz, the place he was liable for enhancing episodic TV content material and delivering it to TV stations.
Soji holds a Bachelor of Science diploma in Utilized Physics/Electronics from the College of Lagos.
Dashing Faucet based in 2014, entertains Africans worldwide by creating and producing authentic content material, which it then licenses to distributors, with the imaginative and prescient of changing into the biggest proprietor of authentic African content material. It debuted with its first drama sequence, Plus 234, serving as a proof of idea for its licensing enterprise mannequin.
In 2020, Dashing Faucet and POV Studios, an leisure funding firm, introduced a multi-million greenback partnership geared toward establishing a world-class leisure manufacturing outfit in Nigeria. This collaboration led to the creation of Dashing Faucet Studios, a state-of-the-art facility within the Lekki-Ajah space of Lagos State. The corporate is backed by serial investor Olumide Soyombo, who has invested over £1 million in its development and growth.
Chidinma Igbokweuche-Founder Nollydata
Chidinma Igbokweuche is a display screen author, producer and filmmaker who based Nollydata alongside Ibrahim Suleiman, a notable actor in 2022.
Nollydata was based on the power of recognizing the necessity for an organized database inside Nollywood, she launched this platform to function a central repository for data on movies, actors, producers, and different key trade gamers. The initiative not solely addresses a vital hole within the trade but in addition enhances its world visibility and accessibility.
Chidinma began out as a Internet Content material Author for Linda Ikeji TV from November 2017 to August 2018. Previous to this, she contributed to lailasblog.com. Nonetheless, her huge break got here with a Inventive producer function at AccelerateTV, from February 2019 to March 2021. Throughout her time there she produced exhibits reminiscent of, Shade Nook, The Olive* net sequence, Yellow Wall, and others.
Julie Ako – CEO Albantsho
Albantsho CEO, Julie Ako is a filmmaker, venture supervisor, and knowledge methods specialist on a mission to reshape the narrative of Africa via the ability of storytelling. With a tutorial background in pc science and the next diploma in movie and tv research, Julie bridges the worlds of know-how and cinema seamlessly.
Julie’s profession started with an internship as a Datacenter Operator at Galaxy Spine in Abuja, Nigeria, the place she gained worthwhile insights into information administration and IT infrastructure. Following this, she served as a Senior Undertaking Coordinator at Mad Comics NG, an Afrocentric comedian firm, from December 2016 to July 2018.
Her ardour for storytelling led to co-founding, Filmmakers Mart, the place she served as a Tech Resolution Analyst from January 2021 to August 2022
She has directed, and collaborated on a number of high-profile initiatives, together with the Verified marketing campaign PSA for the United Nations, the Jay Jay Animations sequence for Showmax, and varied documentary productions with Cinema Kpatakpata. These initiatives underscore her versatility and dedication to utilizing movie as a medium for change.
In 2020, Julie co-founded Albansto with Nikita Mokgware from Botswana. Albansto is a platform that brings collectively black Africans to discover and narrate the multifaceted tales of the continent. Functioning as a digital market, it permits writers to share their work, producers to amass content material, and expertise to attach with alternatives.
Victoria Popoola- Co founder Expertise X Africa
Victoria Popoola is a finance skilled with a background in enterprise capital and information analytics.
In October 2021, Victoria co-founded TalentX Africa, a full-time enterprise targeted on expertise trade and infrastructure. TalentX has invested near $1 million in Nollywood films, highlighting its dedication to fostering the movie trade in Nigeria.
Since July 2020, Victoria has served as an Funding Skilled at Consonance Funding Managers. Victoria holds a Bachelor’s diploma in Economics College of Lagos
Akinsola Muse – Cofounder Filmlocations Nigeria
Akinsola Muse is a distinguished movie director, producer, and artistic pressure within the media trade with over a decade of expertise. Since April 2011, he has been a key determine at 1705 Productions LTD in Royal Oak, Michigan, directing and producing over 13 commercials for manufacturers like MTN, Airtel, Unilever, Samsung, Knorr, and Audi. His compelling visible narratives resonate globally. In October 2008, he based The Zwart Firm, serving as Inventive Director and main progressive content material growth throughout Lagos, Nigeria, and Johannesburg, South Africa. Akinsola studied Movie & Video Manufacturing on the Movement Footage Institute of Michigan and holds a BA in Historical past & Strategic Research from the College of Lagos, the place he was lively in leisure and occasion administration.
In 2016, he based Filmlocations alongside co founder Akinwale Muse-when he had simply completed a really intense TV business manufacturing for a consumer.
Eric Kafui Okyerefo – CEO of Filmmakers Mart
Eric is the Co-Founder and CEO of Filmmakers Mart, Africa’s first market for the movie, leisure trade to remodel how creatives on the continent create and to democratize entry into the movie/leisure.
With a confirmed monitor file as a producer, Eric has delivered high-quality content material for the British Council and Showmax. His work earned him a nomination for the distinguished African Magic Viewers Alternative Awards in 2022, highlighting his vital contributions to the trade.
Eric’s dedication extends past particular person achievements. He focuses on constructing a sturdy operational system to reinforce Africa’s leisure panorama and assist companies inside the sector. Concurrently, he actively nurtures rising expertise, contributing to the trade’s development and sustainability.
Earlier than Filmmakers Mart, Eric based The Worldwide Clarion, a media group geared toward giving younger folks a world digital voice. He collaborated with a various crew of journalists and content material creators to cowl tales usually ignored by mainstream media, emphasizing youth views worldwide.
Eric co-founded the corporate in 2021, alonsgide Chioma Dike, Victor Tobi Awotidebe, and Igho Avusi Avuiroeviere. Filmmakers Mart streamlines the reserving of important providers for video productions.
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