At the headquarters of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), a conversation that could shape the future of Nollywood occurred. The national broadcaster—once the beating heart of televised storytelling in Nigeria—opened its doors to a host of Nollywood’s top producers and directors in a gathering that was less about ceremony and more about forging a future.
It wasn’t lost on anyone in the room that this moment felt like coming home. “We all grew up on NTA,” Dimbo Atiya, a film producer, remarked, gesturing to a collective memory shared by nearly every Nigerian household. From ‘Tales by Moonlight’ to ‘Things Fall Apart’, NTA had once been the stage for some of Nigeria’s most formative stories. Now, after years of disconnection, it is reaching back to the industry it helped birth—and inviting it into collaboration.
The gathering was part roundtable, part reunion, and part rallying cry. While Nollywood has exploded into a global phenomenon, its growth has come with distribution challenges, particularly at home. In the wake of international streamers stepping back from African markets, filmmakers are asking the hard questions: How do we reach Nigerian audiences at scale? How do we make storytelling sustainable?
“NTA can’t do everything on its own,” Tari Taylaur, the executive director of programmes at NTA, admitted. “But with our constitutional mandate to inform, educate, and entertain, we have a responsibility. And more importantly, we have the infrastructure and the reach. It’s time to take our place in the ecosystem again.”
That infrastructure is no small thing. With the widest broadcast reach in Africa, NTA has access to corners of the country where the internet and, by extension, streaming platforms don’t always reach. While Nollywood films may trend on global charts, many Nigerians still miss out on their own stories. Filmmakers at the event stressed that this is about more than visibility; it’s about equity.
“There’s no shortage of talent,” said Taylaur. “Creativity isn’t our problem. But the lack of reliable distribution channels within Nigeria has been a major bottleneck. Partnering with NTA could finally shift that.”
It is a sentiment echoed by many in the room, who praised the initiative as a long-overdue move. “I think this is going to really revolutionise the industry if we put in the right amount of effort and willpower to support it. It is a step in a very new direction, and I am interested in seeing how it goes.” Akintunde Marinho, a producer, applauded the initiative.
With the NTA partnering with Nollywood, there is a chance to tell Nigerian stories for Nigerians. And what are these stories? They are not tales of perfection. Rather, as Joke Silva eloquently put it, they are stories of “people with clay feet”, flawed, complex characters who navigate challenges with humanity. “We’re not making fairy tales,” the filmmaker added. “We’re telling the truth about who we are—Yoruba, Bini, Igbo—all of us, in our beauty and our struggle.”
That kind of storytelling demands more than just screen time. It requires support, belief, and investment from institutions. NTA’s willingness to open its platform to filmmakers is being seen as more than a media deal; it’s a cultural shift.
Indeed, the numbers back that up. Nollywood is a significant contributor to Nigeria’s GDP and one of the country’s most visible global exports. But for the industry to thrive, it must also be deeply rooted, and that means telling local stories for local audiences on local platforms.
As the conversation ended, the feeling in the room was hopeful. This wasn’t just a look back at NTA’s legacy but a vision for the future; a future where the government and the creative sector work hand in hand to preserve, elevate, and export Nigerian stories.
In a time of global uncertainty and shifting media landscapes, this partnership between NTA and Nollywood feels like a bold declaration: We are still here. Our stories still matter. And we will tell them to the world, yes, but first to ourselves.
