Jade Osiberu has weighed in on the ongoing conversation around royalties and compensation in Nollywood, urging stakeholders to consider the broader realities of filmmaking.
The writer and director, speaking via her X handle, emphasized that discussions about profit-sharing must reflect the risks borne by producers across the entire production value chain.
In a sarcastic remark to highlight the complexity of the issue, Osiberu suggested that actors and crew members should also share financial losses when a project fails. “I think the association should also implement a law that when a producer makes a loss on a project, all the actors and crew come together to contribute,” she said, adding that contributions could be based on roles or seniority.
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She, however, clarified that the comment was not literal but meant to underscore the need for nuance in such debates. Osiberu noted that she has previously offered actors backend deals and opportunities to invest in her projects as a way of fostering shared growth.
The filmmaker stressed that Nollywood remains a capital-intensive industry with significant financial uncertainty, which often discourages actors from investing in productions.
“I get that everyone wants to look out for themselves, but filmmaking is one of the most capital-intensive art forms,” she said. “Any single player just looking to earn without thinking about the whole value chain and ecosystem needs to settle down and really learn about their industry.”
Her comments add to the growing discourse on how best to structure compensation and collaboration within Nigeria’s evolving film industry.