Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde Nollywood funding remarks highlight why Afrobeats went global faster than Nigeria’s film industry

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, a veteran Nollywood actress and singer, has said limited funding remains the major factor slowing the global growth of Nigeria’s film industry compared with the rapid international success of Afrobeats.

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Jalade-Ekeinde made the remark while speaking during a recent episode of the Afropolitan Podcast.

The actress explained that the cost difference between producing music and making films has created a gap in how quickly both industries can expand internationally.

According to her, music production is relatively inexpensive compared with film production, which requires large crews and significant logistical support.

“What is holding Nollywood back is mostly funding. With music, it is not really as expensive to create,” Jalade-Ekeinde said.

She noted that many musicians can produce songs with minimal equipment and resources, often recording in informal settings that still attract massive audiences online.

The actress added that viral and organic content now plays a major role in the success of many artists.

“Easy viral ideas make more impact than packaged billion-dollar budget videos,” she said.

Jalade-Ekeinde pointed out that the same approach cannot easily work in filmmaking because even low-budget productions still require numerous cast and crew members.

“But you can’t do that with film, unfortunately. The cheapest movie would probably still have about 30 cast and crew,” she explained.

The comments highlight ongoing conversations within Nollywood about investment, production quality and global competitiveness.

In contrast, Afrobeats has experienced explosive international growth over the past decade, driven by digital platforms, social media trends and lower production costs.

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Industry analysts say improved funding structures and distribution channels could help Nollywood expand its global reach in a similar way.