Nollywood Poised for Global Takeover

The past five years have been quite prophetic for Nollywood, Nigeria’s version of the more globally recognized Hollywood.

There has been a profound interest and overwhelming response to the factory responsible for churning out those Shakespearean themed soap operas that are consistently delivered with bundles of dramatics and unwavering tragedies.

It looks like that winning formula will become the ticket into the big leagues according to the scribes that are not only tracking the statistics but also heavily involved in distribution and production.

Ben Bruce, CEO of the Silverbird Group has always had his pulse on the IT factor, from beauty pageants to film distribution, Bruce understands the importance of giving the public what they want, even if the rewards are temporarily delayed.

Silverbird currently manages a plethora of theaters splattered all over West Africa. He recalls the early days when Hollywood flicks dominated the theaters and then he proudly recognizes the fact that Nollywood has finally caught up making the ratio about even.

The encouraging turnaround could be attributed to the steady progress and improved quality of the Nollywood films across the board. When the genre first made its debut, expectations were low and the need to saturate the markets with an endless supply of DVDs was the overwhelming goal. But now the realization that talent and a healthy competitive spirit can actually yield global respect and potential dominance has taken hold of Nigeria’s most prolific industry, and the powers that be are responding with gusto.

Despite the sometimes crippling conditions that plague the filming process coupled with the less than stellar infrastructure, and the flimsy marketing campaigns, its definitely full speed ahead for Nollywood and the future is doused with unlimited possibilities.

The abiding mantra still stands firm: If you build it, they will come.