Well, it might be bigoted to typecast a complete country in bad light thanks to the indiscretions of some individuals. Each country has its criminal elements. Fortunately, it isn’t all gloom and doom from Nigeria. Nigerian Movies are changing the countries perception globally.

Nigerian movies are one of the country’s most recognizable exports today especially to other countries across Africa. The industry has helped to bring out the formidable though sometimes less talked positive business drive of Nigeria. There is more to the country than 419′ scams and the struggle for oil revenue at the Niger delta.

The origins of the Nigerian movies goes back to the 1960′s. Around that time many African nations were still just obtaining their Independence from their European colonizers. The price of production gear and access to quality cameras and support equipment proved to be major obstacles at the time. By the 1980s, the govt. of Nigeria hatched and executed a policy that allowed more local content on air on Nigerian TV stations versus Western TV productions. This was a big step as it inspired local production content to grow.

Many analysts of the Nigerian movie industry (or Nollywood as it is sometimes known) point the turning point of the country’s film making industry to the early 90s when the film Living in Bondage’ was released. From here on out, it was uphill as a powerful distribution network developed. The ease of availability of cheap film making equipment gave additional momentum and before long, the industry was booming.

The quantity of films produced every year range between one thousand and two thousand. Nollywood has the additional benefit of entering into an actors’ and actresses’ market that’s not as dear in comparison to the average cost of a top-level actor or actress in Hollywood.

The demand for the movies within the continent of Africa has been huge and has spawned a fanatic following even among non-Nigerians across the continent. Inroads into wealthier markets such as Europe and the United States have not been as successful. However, the movies appeal to the average African resident. The Nigerian movies have cleverly targeted issues that are a real part of everyday living in Africa. Foreign movies, and especially American ones, that are popular in other parts of the world sometimes cannot relate to the way of life of the average African. Nigerian movies identified this niche and that way, they have managed to captivate audiences across a broad demographic on the continent.

The African market can sometimes prove daunting when it comes to logistics. Poor infrastructure, expensive costs of communication and widespread piracy can easily cripple even the best-planned movie distribution network. Producers of Nigerian movies have mastered how to best use the continent’s system to their advantage and reap a tidy profit as a result.

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