Growing up around film sets at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Tosin Igho’s early relationship with cameras felt almost inevitable. His father, veteran television producer Peter Igho, worked on classics such as Tales by Moonlight, The Village Headmaster, Cock Crow at Dawn and Things Fall Apart. That environment shaped a curiosity that would later turn into a career behind the camera.
Igho began professionally in music videos, producing projects like Mo’Hits All Stars’ “Booty Call” and Faze’s “Kpo Kpo Di Kpo,” before transitioning fully into film. He later studied visual effects at the Africa Film Drama Art (AFDA) school in Cape Town. Today, he works across directing and cinematography, with credits including Unbound (2025), Suspicion (2024), Seven (2019) and Nneka the Pretty Serpent (2020).
In Peter Inyang’s Unbound, for which he received a FilmJoint Awards 2026 nomination for Best Cinematography, Igho leans into restraint, using framing and emotional distance to mirror the film’s themes of grief and internal conflict. For him, filmmaking is both craft and responsibility: a way to preserve culture while questioning it. In this exclusive conversation with The Nollywood Reporter, he reflects on his approach to visual storytelling, his influences and the state of cinematography in Nollywood.
TNR: Did filmmaking choose you, or the other way around?
It honestly feels like filmmaking chose me. I grew up around media and storytelling. My dad, Peter Igho, was a filmmaker at NTA, so cameras and sets were normal to me. Going into it professionally wasn’t some big planned decision; it just felt like purpose. I knew I didn’t just want to watch stories, I wanted to shape them. I believe the world needs my voice and my style.
IGHO: What did Unbound affirm or challenge about your approach to filmmaking?
It tells me audiences are paying attention to visual storytelling, not just dialogue or plot. That’s encouraging. But it also reminds me not to relax. Praise is nice, but it can’t make you comfortable. Every new project has to push you further.
What visual questions guided your work on Unbound, and how did you shape its emotional language?
I kept asking myself if restraint could be more powerful than spectacle. I wanted to see how stillness, framing and negative space could carry emotion and tension without over-explaining things. I don’t really separate story from visuals. The tone of the story tells you how the camera should behave. By the time we got to set, we already understood the emotional language of the film. If the audience needs to reflect, the camera should observe. If they need to feel deeply, it can move closer and become more personal. It’s about emotional distance.
Can you point to a scene where cinematography carried more weight than dialogue?
The moonlight beach scene where she curses him. It’s rooted in culture and folklore, and visually it carries meaning that goes beyond words. That kind of imagery has lived in our stories for generations.
Lighting and colour feel central to your work. How deliberate were those choices in Unbound?
Very deliberate. Colour carries emotion. In Unbound, cooler tones reflect detachment, especially in the beach scenes, while warmer tones show vulnerability, like in the house confrontation. Lighting isn’t just for beauty; it’s storytelling.
What creative risks did you take on this project, and how has your process evolved over time?
This was my first proper step into the YouTube space. I also trusted my instincts more and stayed in control of my creative decisions instead of playing it safe. Earlier in my career, I treated directing and cinematography separately. Now they work together. As a director I think about emotion and story; as a cinematographer, I translate that visually. It’s one conversation from two angles.
How do you maintain precision amid the unpredictability of film sets?
Good preparation gives you freedom. If you plan well, you can handle surprises calmly, and surprises always come. Film sets are organised chaos.
What is your view on Nollywood’s visual language today? Are we where we need to be?
We’re growing fast, but we’re not there yet, and that’s okay. Nollywood is becoming more visually aware, but we still need to trust silence, composition and visual metaphors more. Not everything needs to be said in dialogue. Cinematography is getting more respect than before, but still not enough. It’s not just about nice images; it’s part of storytelling. When visuals are treated as narrative tools, films travel better across cultures.
How has new technology shaped your philosophy as a filmmaker?
Technology makes things faster, but it doesn’t replace intention. I still ask why a shot or lighting choice exists. Tech should support emotion, not distract from it.
What do you hope audiences recognise as your visual signature, and what advice would you give younger filmmakers?
I always say what makes you different is what makes you special. I know I think differently, and that gives me a different perspective. I’ve taken time to understand my voice and plan to keep using it to show my style. For younger filmmakers, cinematography is more than camera settings. Study light, art, psychology and people. The camera only captures what you understand emotionally. Every project teaches you something. You remember what went wrong and improve. I’m excited about what’s ahead, even as the industry and distribution keep changing. Filmmakers are resilient; we always find a way.
