Netflix Will Not Save Nollywood Creatively– Here’s Why

Netflix launched its streaming services in Nigeria in 2016, coinciding with its global expansion into approximately 130 countries. During this expansion, Netflix acquired the rights to Genevieve Nnaji’s 2018 film, “Lionheart,” and began producing its own original projects.

In 2020, the birth of Netflix Naija was met with enthusiasm by many Nigerians, both in the filmmaking industry and among audiences. It marked a significant development for the Nigerian film industry, as it promised a global platform for Nigerian filmmakers and the chance for Nigerians abroad to connect with content from home. There was a general expectation that Netflix’s involvement would elevate the “quality” of Nollywood.

The Hope

Yemi Solade, an actor, noted that Netflix upheld a rigorous standard for selecting works, emphasizing that meeting certain conditions and standards was essential for inclusion. This encompassed factors such as equipment, storyline, actor quality, location, costume, audio, subtitles, and other components, all of which needed to be top-notch.

In his words, Netflix has “a set standard for collecting works. They know the work they want and what they don’t want. So, Netflix has come to raise the bar. You can’t get your job on Netflix if you haven’t met certain conditions and standards. From the equipment to storyline, quality of actors, location, costume, your audio, subtitles, and other components of the film, must be top-notch.”   

The Reality

However, the proliferation of films on the platform has raised questions about whether Netflix’s partnership with Nollywood is the ideal catalyst for advancing the industry creatively, especially considering the strides made in technological aspects.

Until recently, the consensus among most filmmakers was a resounding “No!” However, the reception of films like Damilola Orimogunje’s ‘For Maria (Ebun Pataki),’ Adebayo Tijani and Tope Adebayo’s ‘Jagun Jagun,’ and a couple of others has slightly shifted the answer to a cautious “Yes, but…” This “but” encompasses a wide range of creative deficiencies that require rectification.

For instance, in 2020, ‘Chief Daddy 2‘ appeared on Netflix as a sequel to ‘Chief Daddy 1,’ and its reception reinforced the perception that Netflix might be primarily interested in exploiting Nigeria’s film market without a strong commitment to content quality.

Recent events have revealed the irony of this situation. Another example is the criticism directed at Kemi Adetiba’s “King of Boys 2: The Return of The King,” the first Nigerian miniseries to debut directly on Netflix’s platform.

In a prior review for the series, I  pointed out that ‘King of Boys 2’ suffered from a bland, slow plot, and was not a successful political thriller. The review criticized how the series appeared to have been adapted from a script originally meant for a different format. Despite these creative shortcomings, Netflix continued to acquire such content as long as they met technical requirements.

Talking about films with no substance, but enjoyed Netflix’s favour, ‘Glamour Girls‘ also come to mind and joins the list films that makes filmmakers and audience wonder how Netflix’s involvement will help the industry creatively.

There are numerous other films that have evoked similar reactions from audiences. While Netflix may be the messiah in terms of distribution and technological advancement, it should confront the perception that it prioritizes technicalities over creative depth if it bills itself as a platform for distributing “creative” films.