The Nigeria film industry and national development

Abstract

The Nigerian film industry (Nollywood) has continued to receive accolades at both continental and international scenes owing to outstanding output and positive influence on sister film industries within the African continent. But despite the continued success story of Nollywood being a top contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product and its consequent emergence as a film culture of international repute, the industry is yet to receive adequate attention from the government and other stakeholders. This paper, therefore, investigated the diverse angles from which Nollywood contributes to national development and the need for the industry's potentialities to be fully harnessed in the light of the various impediments to national growth and development in Nigeria. The study adopted the qualitative methodology of research. Content analysis of selected Nollywood films and interviews are approaches employed in gathering qualitative data while leaning on the Modernization Theory to interrogate the research problem. The study found that the Nigerian film industry is a potential socio-economic and cultural powerhouse that can engender significant and sustainable developments in key areas of the nation if well harnessed. The study concludes that key players in Nigeria's sociopolitical, economic, and cultural spheres should prioritize the needs of the industry so that it can attain the desired status as evinced in this paper.