Niyi Akinmolayan Faults Claims Netflix, Amazon Gave Nigerian Filmmakers Millions
Renowned Nigerian filmmaker and director , Niyi Akinmolayan, has dismissed claims that. streaming giants: Netflix and Amazon Prime Video pumped millions of dollars into Nollywood productions, only for filmmakers to squander the funds on luxury lifeclasss.
In a video shared on his Instagram page, Akinmolayan described the narrative as "ridiculous," saying it reflects a poor understanding of how global streaming platforms invest in emerging markets.
"I saw something online that really got me angry this morning," he said. "Someone made a post about Children of Blood and Bone, and a filmmaker went into the comment section saying Netflix gave our filmmakers this kind of budget and they ended up wasting it. I realised people actually believe this bullshit."
Akinmolayan was reacting to online discussions sparked by the reported $100–$200 million budget of the upcoming Hollywood adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone. While the film has also generated debate over its casting and portrayal of African culture, the filmmaker specifically criticised claims that Netflix and Amazon had previously invested similar sums in Nollywood productions, only for Nigerian filmmakers to squander the funds.
According to Akinmolayan, many Nigerians wrongly blamed filmmakers when Netflix and Amazon scaled back original content investments across Africa.
"Nigerians were the only ones that blamed the filmmakers," he said. "They said Netflix and Amazon pulled out because they gave filmmakers millions of dollars and everybody used the money to buy houses and cars. It needs to stop."
Explaining how international streamers operate, Akinmolayan argued that no company entering a new market would deliberately distort local production costs.
"If the market makes productions for 10 naira, you cannot wake up and start making productions for 1,000 naira. Once you do that, the whole system gets unbalanced. It kills the local producers," he said.
He added that Netflix's investment strategy was tied to subscriber growth rather than charity, noting that the platforms' business decisions changed after economic realities, including currency depreciation, affected profitability.
"They wanted people to subscribe to their services. They would only respond to how well that experiment worked," he explained. "The revenue from subscriptions simply could not justify the kind of spending people imagined."
Akinmolayan also debunked claims that Nigerian Netflix Originals were routinely financed by the streaming giant, revealing that most projects were produced independently before being licensed.
"Ninety per cent of the films that have come out on Netflix or Amazon as Originals or Exclusives were first made by Nigerians with Nigerian money," he claimed.
Citing productions such as Jagun Jagun and Lisabi, he explained that filmmakers often completed the projects with their own resources before negotiating licensing deals with streamers.
"We made it first with our money and then gave it to them and said, 'This would be nice as an exclusive on your platform.' The best deal you will probably get is two times your budget, if you're lucky."
The director further argued that direct commissions from Netflix or Amazon remain rare.
"There have only been very few projects commissioned directly by Netflix or Amazon. That's not how you build an industry," he said.
Responding to criticism that filmmakers who make substantial profits should not spend on themselves, Akinmolayan defended their right to enjoy the rewards of years of hard work.
"If a filmmaker makes a profit of $500,000 or $600,000, you don't want them to get themselves a nice car or apartment? Please."
He also blamed piracy and poor subscription culture for limiting the growth of the streaming market in Nigeria.
"How many of you are actually watching Netflix with a paid subscription?" he asked. "A lot of people are watching Nigerian films on pirated sites. That affects the industry."
Akinmolayan urged Nigerians to support legal distribution platforms, including emerging local streaming services, instead of directing blame at filmmakers.
"We're growing. We're trying. But don't say the reason this isn't happening is because of the producers," he said. "Let's support our filmmakers and learn how money works. Don't ever think in your wildest imagination that oyibo people are giving people money for free."