Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde Calls for Urgent Conversations on Nollywood’s Profitability Amid Industry Criticism

Veteran Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has responded to filmmaker Lancelot Imasuen’s call for industry veterans to give back to Nollywood, addressing the structural challenges that prevent filmmakers from profiting from their work, as well as viewers’ opinions about ticket pricing in the country. In an Instagram post on May 15, 2025, she detailed the financial hurdles involved in producing and distributing films in Nigerian cinemas, questioning whether filmmakers can truly recoup their investments.

Imasuen, in a recent interview marking his 30th anniversary in Nollywood, lamented the state of the industry, describing it as “abandoned and ignored” by some of the very actors and filmmakers it helped elevate. He urged top figures, including Jalade, Genevieve Nnaji, Emeka Ike, and Jim Iyke, to reinvest in the platform that launched their careers.

Jalade, however, pointed to deep-rooted financial issues plaguing Nollywood’s cinema distribution system. Breaking down earnings from her own cinematic release, “Ije: The Journey,” she revealed the deductions filmmakers face when attempting to profit from their films. Nigerian cinema exhibitors take 50% of earnings, while the government imposes 7.5% VAT, 5% entertainment tax, and 10% withholding tax. The financial burden is heavier for films distributed internationally, with 15% withholding tax charged in Ghana and Liberia, plus 15% distribution fees and 7.5% VAT on distributors’ fees. Additionally, 20% of a movie’s budget is allocated to publicity and advertising.

“Now tell me, when a movie producer invests so much, usually a minimum of ₦150 million, and has all these deductions, what do they possibly have left? Or will they ever recoup their investments?” she wrote. “I ask again, are we ready to have these discussions? Or should we return to the #shhhh culture?”

Jalade, who has long balanced her career between Nigeria and the U.S., has previously spoken on industry challenges behind closed doors, but her recent remarks mark a rare public commentary on Nollywood’s cinematic financial structure.

With a career spanning three decades, she has cemented her status as a trailblazer in Nigerian cinema, appearing in major films like “Last Flight to Abuja,” “Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story,” and “Lockdown.” She has also gained international recognition, featuring in TIME magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” list in 2013 and earning a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) honour in 2014.