Formalizing Nollywood : gentrification in the contemporary Nigerian film industry

• Main Author: Igwe, Ezinne
• Published: Birmingham City University 2018
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.753291

This study investigates transformations in the Nigerian film industry, focusing specifically on a segment of the industry known as Nollywood. Typically characterized as an informal industry due to its low budgets and unofficial modes of distribution, Nollywood is regularly referred to as a success story, accounting for $7.2 billion (1.42%) of Nigeria’s gross domestic product. Because of this success, the Nigerian government, under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration (2010-2015), introduced various mechanisms to formalize and economize Nollywood in the quest to maximize its potentials and diversify the Nigerian economy. This endeavour availed the industry of film fund, professional training and enhanced distribution. My study focuses on this specific area, addressing wider issues of debate relating to how countries seek to economically benefit from their film economies and the role policy plays in the formalization of film industries. Existing studies on Nollywood have concentrated on a point in the evolution of the industry, an era now labelled the old Nollywood. Whole studies on political economic matters, national cinema discourses and individual and corporate efforts and motivation towards these transformations remain lacking. In this study, I examine as gentrification the efforts of the state, corporate organizations and individuals to transform Nollywood. Adopted from urban studies, gentrification is applied figuratively to examine the motivations propelling these transformations in order to determine its implications for the industry and the industry players. I draw on primary data sourced using a method I term econo-ethnography that combines forms of ethnography, economic base theory and political economy analysis. This data is interrogated using a theoretical framework that incorporates literature from the fields of political economy, gentrification and national cinema, the intention being to understand the development of evolving film economies, particularly Nollywood. I argue that with the right policies, sustained state and corporate support, Nollywood would be gentrified. However, this attempt to gentrify Nollywood impacts on the economic processes of the industry as well as the practices of the industry players. I find that with deep-rooted informality, inefficiencies in policymaking and implementation and sporadic nature of state support, gentrification will further sector Nollywood creating new and varied opportunities for filmmakers, distributors and consumers.