The Story⚡
BB Sasore and Josh Olaoluwa give Nollywood’s distribution and exhibition infrastructure a flat zero, arguing that filmmakers should leave exhibition challenges to major business investors while focusing on production strengths.
Tell Me More
In Episode 9, Part B of State of Nollywood Industry, host Akintunde Damilare David continues the conversation with BB Sasore and Josh Olaoluwa as they provide a clear-eyed grading of the industry across five key pillars: infrastructure and production capacity, talent development, distribution and exhibition, and regulatory support.
BB Sasore, co-founder of Nemsia Studios and director of Breath of Life, draws on years of building one of Nigeria’s leading production companies to highlight structural gaps. Josh Olaoluwa, a newer-generation producer who trained abroad and now works across territories, emphasises the need for systematic talent pipelines.
The discussion examines persistent challenges:
Only 2-3 equipment houses serve the entire industry, forcing major productions to book crew 6-8 months in advance
Nigeria has no degree-granting film schools, yet it produces music videos that match global standards
Post-production capabilities, including VFX and sound design, are virtually non-existent locally
Distribution and exhibition scored zero because the problems require large-scale business investment, not individual creative solutions
Regulatory support shows some recent progress but remains inconsistent
The guests outline a case for $1 billion in targeted infrastructure investment and stress the difference between building community and obsessing over the finished product.
Assigned grades:
Infrastructure & Production Capacity: 2/5
Talent Development: 1-2.5/5
Distribution & Exhibition: 0/5
Regulatory & Institutional Support: 2-3/5
This episode is a practical assessment for filmmakers, producers, executives, and investors who need an accurate picture of Nollywood’s current capabilities and gaps.
In Summary
Part B of Episode 9 delivers a systematic breakdown of Nollywood’s structural strengths and weaknesses, from equipment shortages to the absence of formal film education. Episode 10 will bring fresh insider perspectives on emerging topics in the industry’s economics and growth paths. Stay tuned for the next conversation with new guests examining what comes next for African film.
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