This archive report was first published on 15 December 2019.
Behind the glitz, Nigerian entertainers struggle to cash in ¶
Published on December 15, 2019, by AFP
At the inaugural edition of The Entertainment Fair and Festival (TEFFEST) in Lagos, Nigeria, in late November, fake eyelashes fluttered, bespoke suits were on display, and slick music videos played. However, behind the glamour, the reality of the film and music sectors in Africa's most populous nation can be far less glamorous.
Despite boasting the second most productive film industry in the world and some of Africa's biggest pop stars, wages are low, there are no social protections, and copyright law is rarely enforced. Hits by singers like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido play non-stop on stations across the continent, and Nollywood churns out some 2,500 movies each year.
However, revenues from Nigeria's entertainment and media sector in 2018 lagged behind that of South Africa's at USD4.5 billion compared to USD9.1 billion, according to PwC. Industry insiders attribute this difference to a problem of organisation, rather than output or demand.
South Africa has better systems for ensuring royalty payments for artists, stronger legal protections, and more modern facilities such as film studios, concert venues, and cinemas. In a bid to help remedy the issues facing the industry, veteran Nollywood star Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde came up with the first entertainment business fair known as TEFFEST.
"The entertainment industry has grown without structures, without a roof," Jalade-Ekeinde said. "For decades, we were not taken seriously and the big corporation companies didn't consider us."
Despite the improvements, the industry still faces numerous challenges, including the lack of protections for performers and a minimum wage for actors and others involved in the industry. Nollywood is a vast employer in Nigeria, offering jobs to an estimated one million people, but much of that is very precarious.
