Nollywood filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, has criticised producers who are increasingly turning to YouTube as an alternative platform for distributing their films.
Afolayan, who spoke during a recent interview with former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, said YouTube could not in offer filmmakers the same opportunities as major streaming platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video.
He, however, acknowledged that YouTube provides a useful entry point for emerging filmmakers and producers who lack the resources or industry leverage to secure deals with major streaming platforms or screen their films in cinemas.
“Nollywood producers rushing to YouTube is not the way to go. YouTube can never give you what Netflix and Prime would give you. However, it is the most flexible. It is for everyone. It is like a starting point.
“If you don’t have the strength to negotiate or access to the big players, you open an account and put your movie there. If people watch, you get your money,” he said.
The filmmaker attributed the growing migration of Nigerian producers to YouTube partly to the current exchange rate between the US dollar and the naira.
According to him, the revenue generated from dollar-denominated advertising makes YouTube particularly attractive to Nigerian content creators.
Afolayan predicted that producers could lose interest in the platform if the naira significantly strengthens against the dollar.
“Nigerian filmmakers are rushing to YouTube because of the dollar exchange rate. At ₦1,400 to $1, they celebrate one million views because it can bring in about $10,000.
“But if the dollar falls to ₦200, everyone will run away from YouTube. I pray the dollar-to-naira exchange rate comes down,” he added.
