The Story⚡
This post explores how Nigerian audiences engaged with content on Prime Video in 2024. Keep reading to discover key insights into viewer interactions with the platform’s offerings.
Tell Me More
Here are the key insights into how the Nigerian market interacted with Prime Video in 2024:
1. Nollywood Movies Overpower Other Film Markets With 73.33%
In a surprising development, Nollywood dominated Prime Video’s top 15 most-watched titles in 2024. The eleven Nigerian titles that made it to the list are Breath of Life (#1), Muri and Ko (#3), Move Like A Boss (#4), Criminal (#6), Miss PJ (#7), All’s Fair in Love (#9), Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (#11), The Betrayed (#12), Alaye (#13), Lakatabu (#14), and Water & Garri (#15).
This trend highlights a growing preference for local content among Nigerian viewers, signalling strong support for homegrown productions. By prioritizing local stories, audiences are not just entertained but also contributing to the growth and sustainability of Nigeria’s creative industry.
However, it’s important to note that despite Nollywood’s dominance in 2024, its viewership declined compared to 2023, when 14 Nollywood titles secured spots on the top 15 list.
2. BB Sasore’s Breath of Life Top the Leaderboard
Breath of Life is a 2023 drama film written and directed by BB Sasore, with Eku Edewor as producer. Released on November 15, 2023, the film quickly earned widespread acclaim from audiences.
Featuring a stellar cast including Wale Ojo, Chimezie Imo, Genoveva Umeh, Ademola Adedoyin, Eku Edewor, Sam Dede, and Bimbo Manuel, the movie is a Prime Video original. It marks the first instalment in a three-part deal between Nemsia Films and Amazon Studios.
The title remained in Prime Video’s top 10 for an impressive 81 days and later won Best Movie at the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.
3. My Spy: The Eternal City Ranks as the Most-Watched Hollywood Title
The title is a 2024 action-comedy film co-written by Peter Segal, Erich Hoeber, and Eric Hoeber, with Peter Segal also serving as director. A Prime Video original, the movie is a sequel to the 2020 hit My Spy. Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Ken Jeong, and Kristen Schaal reprise their roles in this thrilling follow-up. Released on July 18, 2024, the film remained in Prime Video’s top 10 movies for 59 days.
4. Hollywood Secures Just 13.33% Representation
Of the top 15 movies on the streaming platform in 2024, only two Hollywood titles made the list: My Spy: The Eternal City (#2) and Jackpot! (#8). While this data may seem unfavourable for the American film industry, it marks an improvement over 2023, when just one Hollywood title, The Covenant, secured a spot on the list.
5. Limited Nollywood Original Titles
Only five of the top 15 titles are Prime Video originals. The five titles are Breath of Life (Nigeria), My Spy: The Eternal City (America), Canary Black (Britain), Jackpot! (America), and Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End (Spain). Among these, Breath of Life is the only Nigerian title.
Despite the list being dominated by Nollywood productions, it’s disappointing that only one is an original from the streamer. This highlights a limited partnership between Prime Video and the Nigerian film industry, suggesting untapped potential for greater collaboration.
6. Box Office vs Direct-to-Streaming
Interestingly, seven out of the eleven Nollywood titles that made it to the top 15 on Prime Video first had a theatrical release before transitioning to the streaming platform. These include Muri and Ko (#3), Move Like A Boss (#4), Criminal (#6), All’s Fair in Love (#9), Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (#11), The Betrayed (#12), and Lakatabu (#14).
On the other hand, four films—Breath of Life (#1), Miss PJ (#7), Alaye (#13), and Water & Garri (#15)—skipped the box office and premiered directly on Prime Video.
This trend suggests that a theatrical run does not diminish a movie’s success on the streaming service. In fact, it may enhance its visibility, proving that box office releases and streaming dominance are not mutually exclusive in Nollywood’s evolving distribution landscape.
7. The End of an Era: Prime Video Axes Original Commissioned Content – What’s Next for Nollywood Producers?
In a surprising turn of events, Prime Video has also announced that it will no longer commission original Nollywood content. This means that films like Breath of Life, which was produced as a Prime Video original, will no longer have a place under the streamer’s direct funding model.
For Nollywood producers, this decision is a major setback, as it significantly reduces opportunities for financial backing from one of the industry’s key streaming platforms. This move aligns with a similar decision by Netflix, which also discontinued its commissioning of original Nollywood productions.
While this development presents a daunting challenge, it also forces Nigerian filmmakers to explore alternative funding models, partnerships, and distribution strategies to keep producing high-quality films. It’s a tough reality but one that could reshape the industry’s approach to content creation and sustainability.
8. Double Success: Muri and Ko Emerges as Inkblot’s Box Office and Streaming Hit of 2024
The 2024 film, directed by Biodun Stephen and co-produced by InkBlot Productions and Shutter Speed, proved to be a resounding success. It dominated the Nigerian box office, grossing ₦136.02 million after its June 12, 2024, release, and it became one of the most-watched titles on Prime Video Naija after its debut.
After its box office run, Muri and Ko debuted on Prime Video Naija in August 2024, emerging as the third most-watched film of the year. The movie maintained a top 10 spot on the streamer for an impressive 78 days.
The film boasts a talented ensemble cast, including Kunle Remi, Bisola Aiyeola, Fiyinfoluwa Asenuga, Gloria Anozie, Femi Jacobs, Emem Ufot, Charles Okocha, and Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori.
In Summary
With the evolving landscape of streaming services in Nigeria’s film industry, one is left to wonder what the ongoing year holds for the service, producers, and customers alike. While commissioning has been called off by the streamer, some major deals are wrapping up, shaping the industry’s trajectory.
Anthill Studios and InkBlot Productions are concluding their existing agreements for the year, while Nemsia Studios maintains a robust slate comprising licensed titles and two original productions—After 30 and Madam Koi.
Similarly, Natives Filmworks is set to wrap up its First Features Slate, which includes twelve films. The Lost Days, the latest project from Natives Filmworks and MichelAngelo Productions, marks the ninth title in the slate. The film is scheduled for an exclusive Prime Video release in 2025.
In the same vein, Funke Akindele’s partnership with Prime Video remains active, covering a slate of seven films. This deal, which began with A Tribe Called Judah, will see the distribution of upcoming titles like Finding Me and Everybody Loves Jenifa on the platform.
While uncertainties loom over the Nigerian film industry regarding streaming services, audiences and industry stakeholders eagerly anticipate the arrival of these titles on the platform to see how they will perform in the evolving digital space.
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