On or before Thursday, April 30, 2026, a clip circulating on X courtesy of user @Usmanashafe, showed Ademoye clapping back against a group of men aggressively demanding a “shooting fee” from she and her crew for filming an unnamed production in an unnamed public space in Lagos.
Many industry observers promptly condemned the tactic of unauthorized street-level extortion targeting film crews, music video shoots. Social media reactions reflected wider frustration about how insecurity and extortion may be creatively limiting Nollywood itself.
Filmmaker Mary Uche Okoli: described the trend as one of her greatest cultural shocks in the industry, lamenting that producers are often forced to pay “hundreds of thousands or even millions of naira” to groups of men simply to film on public streets “that are not owned by anyone.”
One user, Ossyvincent, argued that persistent street harassment is partly why many Nigerian productions have become repetitive, overly indoor, or confined to sanitized upscale environments.
Another, Dapo, summarized the broader sentiment bluntly: “Can’t shoot films, can’t shoot music videos, can’t do news interviews, can’t do vox pops, because they’ve turned ‘settle us’ into a culture.”
Others argue the solution lies in systemic reform. Devoyce, in particular, called for stronger regulatory intervention and structured protection for Nigerian productions.
“There should be a formal system …..something like a Filming Pass or Production Permit that every producer obtains before principal photography begins. That pass would capture all approved locations, shooting dates, and crew details. If hoodlums try to disrupt the shoot, the production manager can simply present the permit as proof of legal clearance. In cases of outright refusal or aggression, the police should be pre-briefed and legally empowered to intervene immediately, without bureaucracy.”
He continued in his lengthy post:
“…We need a unified national film permit tied to the Nigeria Police Force Film Unit. QR-coded, verifiable, possibly with a 24/7 hotline. This is a Global standard In places like Atlanta, Toronto, and Cape Town, one permit locks in police, traffic, and community liaison. Nigeria can do same.”
Thug extortion has been prevalent for years In Nollywood. It’s a practice so normalized that some producers reportedly factor “area boys levy” into their budgets.