Top Nollywood producers have shed light on why many established actors-turned-filmmakers are abandoning theatrical releases for YouTube, where a single viral hit can recover production costs within weeks, without the uncertainty of box-office performance.
At the AFRIFF panel on ‘Quality vs. Quantity,’ producers outlined the financial trade-off: betting N250 million to N300 million on a risky cinema release or investing N9 million to N15 million in a YouTube film. They agreed that while cinemas rarely guarantee a break-even, YouTube offers faster, more predictable returns, with modest budgets often translating into millions of views and steady ad revenue.
Sandra Okunzuwa, founder of OkunzuwaTV with over 169 million views in just over one year, said the figure covers decent cameras, lighting, sound, location fees, and actor payments. “It’s expensive now to produce a film that can compete,” she said.
This mirrors a reality for newcomers to filmmaking. Saga Adeolu, a former ‘Big Brother Naija’ housemate, told BusinessDay that he spent over N50 million to produce his debut movie ‘Falling Notes,’ which he released on YouTube three weeks ago, now grossing 1.3 million views.
Ruth Kadiri, whose channel regularly posts films that cross five million views, agreed that the days of shooting a movie for N2 million –N3 million and still earning profits are over. Kadiri explained that audience expectations have risen sharply since 2022, as viewers now compare YouTube releases with cinema titles. They are also quick to abandon films with poor sound or weak acting.
An average view count for a top movie producer on YouTube is one million-five million views, whereas the total number of admissions in the cinema for Anglo-West Africa so far in 2025 is just above the two million mark, according to FilmOne.
Chineylove Eze, founder of ChinneyEze Productions, noted that teenage/high-school stories still perform best on the platform, often reaching two million to five million views even with unknown casts. However, she added that most new channels lose money on their first four or five uploads because the algorithm favours established creators.
The panel at the event agreed that many beginners face a hard choice: release lower-budget films frequently and risk losing viewers, or save for one high-quality production every four months to six months.
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Okunzuwa advised new creators to do proper research on stories the audience wants and to collaborate with two or three friends to share costs if personal funds are limited.
Kadiri stressed that revenue is no longer automatic. “Two or three years ago, one million views were a big achievement,” she said. “Today, some people treat one million as failure.” She warned that comparing raw view counts ignores the fact that many high-view films are helped by purchased views that do not generate income.
The math behind YouTube
The rising cost base has changed the mathematics of YouTube filmmaking. A film that costs N10 million needs roughly 10 million–12 million organic views within the first 30 days and 60 days to break even – after YouTube’s 45 percent revenue share, platform taxes, and repayment of personal or investor funds. Most new channels never reach that threshold.
Eddie Watson, a Ghanaian actor and filmmaker, reminded the audience that he and others entered YouTube early when 100,000 views in the first day was exciting and profitable. “I made my money then,” he said. “The market is different now.”
The panel concluded that creators interested in long-term careers must accept higher upfront investment or partner with others to spread risk.
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Why Nollywood Actor-Producers reject collaboration
Veteran filmmakers at AFRIFF warned that the refusal of most actor-producers to share revenue is pushing the YouTube ecosystem toward the same collapse that ended the DVD era 15 years ago.
Chioma Ude, AFRIFF convener, asked the panel why popular actors running channels do not co-produce films and split earnings, instead of demanding N5 million–6 million upfront fees that price out quality production.
Lilian Afegbai answered honestly: “If I can make the film myself, put it on my channel and keep 100 per cent of the money, why would I partner and share?”
Afegbai described one recent exception where she co-produced with another actor and both uploaded the same film to their channels. Revenue was therefore split by audience size, rather than a fixed fee. She admitted few colleagues are willing to do the same.
Mildred Okwo, a Nigerian film director, said superstar actors have always protected their spotlight. “It is not greed in the negative sense,” she said. “It is the mentality of someone who has fought to be seen.” However, she warned that when every actor insists on being both star and sole owner, the industry suffers.
Ego Boyo, another Nollywood veteran, added that lack of discipline is also a factor. Actors accept multiple jobs at once, shooting three or four films in a week, then deliver weak performances on higher-budget projects that require weeks of preparation. “You cannot stay in character if you are jumping sets every three days,” Boyo said.
