Leaders from Nigeria’s film, culture and creative industries gathered in Lagos for the 5th Peace Anyiam-Osigwe Digital Content Regulation Conference, held in honour of the late filmmaker and celebrated industry pioneer.
The conference focused on redefining Nollywood’s trajectory as the industry braces for a more competitive and digitally driven future. With the theme “From Volume to Value: The Future of Nollywood in the Digital Age,” participants examined how Africa’s biggest film industry can transition from a quantity-based model to one built on sustainable, globally competitive value.
NFVCB Executive Director/CEO, Dr. Shaibu Husseini, in his opening remarks, highlighted ongoing reforms aimed at boosting compliance, digital efficiency and monitoring.
He revealed that film classification turnaround time has dropped to under 24 hours, with some approvals completed in as little as five hours.
Husseini said the board is strengthening digital tools, deepening capacity-building and reinforcing enforcement against unclassified online content.
He urged filmmakers, distributors and streaming platforms to comply with NFVCB regulations, warning that uploading or streaming unclassified films violates the NFVCB Act.
He also announced that several industry awards and recognitions would be presented during the conference.
Representing the Ooni of Ife, Olori Tsemi Tokpe Enitan Ogunwusi underscored the need to protect cultural identity in Nigerian storytelling.
She called for increased support for young creatives, stronger intellectual property safeguards and greater investment in digital infrastructure to enhance Nigeria’s global presence.
She urged the industry to be intentional about storytelling, inspiring narratives “that raise the next generation to think, dream and believe.”
In her keynote address, filmmaker and Terra Kulture founder Bolanle Austen-Peters reflected on systemic issues affecting content quality in Nollywood, including limited financing, inadequate infrastructure and shifting audience preferences.
Austen-Peters noted that while many filmmakers prioritise volume as a survival strategy, quality is achievable with better structures, stronger planning and improved investment.
She encouraged practitioners to strengthen script development, improve pre-production, enhance set and costume design, extend production timelines and embrace collaborations that elevate storytelling.
Delivering a message from the Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Ali Nuhu, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting innovation, digital distribution, artificial intelligence adoption and broadband expansion within the sector.
Stakeholders at the conference expressed a shared resolve to build a future where Nollywood sustains its high production output while achieving deeper value creation, cultural preservation and global competitiveness.
Reporting by Chioma Ezike