Piracy in Nollywood: Niyi Akinmolayan’s Take on Accessibility and the Industry’s Real Challenge

Piracy has long been a dark cloud over Nollywood, robbing filmmakers of potential profits and undermining creativity. The rise of pirated DVDs, unauthorized streaming sites, and illegal downloads has created a tough environment for filmmakers, making it difficult to recover the costs of their productions. But Nollywood director Niyi Akinmolayan believes that the industry’s biggest challenge might not be piracy itself, but rather the issue of accessibility.

In a recent interview, Akinmolayan shared his controversial perspective on piracy. He argued that piracy is not driven by a desire to avoid paying for movies, but rather by a lack of timely access to films. According to Akinmolayan, “I don’t believe people pirate movies because they don’t wanna pay. They pirate movies because they don’t want to wait. If everyone can get access to a film the weekend it drops, you will end piracy.” His view is that audiences are willing to pay for content, but they are frustrated by the delays in access, which drives them to pirated versions.

Reflecting on the days of DVDs and CDs, Akinmolayan compared the modern piracy problem to how people once bought illegally recorded DVD copies of films to watch them immediately. He noted that audiences in Nigeria were often eager to join the discussions around new films, leading them to turn to pirated versions. This impatience is now reflected in the popularity of telegram channels and other quick-access methods.

Akinmolayan proposes a shift in strategy for Nollywood filmmakers. Rather than focusing on legal battles against pirates, he suggests that the key to tackling piracy lies in making films available on multiple platforms simultaneously. In a digital-first world, he believes the solution lies in delivering films directly to audiences on various accessible platforms as soon as they are released. “While cinema is an irreplaceable experience, in a country like ours, you should be able to release in cinema and on a platform the same day. You will render pirates useless because the power is now in your hands,” Akinmolayan explained.

In addition to easier access, Akinmolayan envisions the creation of a platform that allows viewers to sample a film before committing to payment. He suggests that producers could design a system where audiences can watch a few minutes of a film before deciding whether to continue watching and pay for the full experience. This, he believes, would incentivize filmmakers to improve the quality of their productions, as audiences would be more likely to pay for content that meets their expectations.

With over a decade of experience in the industry, Akinmolayan has directed several successful films, including The Wedding Party 2, Chief Daddy, Prophetess, My Village People, and The Set Up. He is also the founder of Anthill Studios, a media production company. Akinmolayan’s bold stance on piracy challenges conventional thinking and calls for a reevaluation of Nollywood’s approach to distribution in the digital age.

While the debate around piracy continues, Akinmolayan’s theory offers a new perspective on how Nollywood might adapt to changing times and ensure that its films reach audiences in a way that benefits both filmmakers and viewers.