Film training holds the key to unlocking Nollywood’s full potential

Nollywood produces over 2,500 films annually, making it one of the most prolific industries in the world. Yet numbers only tell half the story. Without structured training, this growth is at risk of becoming shallow. The Nigerian film industry thrives on raw talent and creative flair, but with the absence of specialised skills in storytelling, sound design, editing and management, its ability to mature into a truly global competitor is threatened.

As noted by Olasunkanmi Adebayo, head of the British Council’s Film Lab Africa, Nollywood urgently needs “more capacity building programmes”. While institutions like the National Film Institute, Royal Arts Academy, EbonyLife Creative Academy, Kunle Afolayan Film Production Academy, and Del-York Creative Academy offer training in production and content creation, their reach is limited. Most of these institutes are concentrated in Lagos and Abuja, with fees that exclude many aspiring creatives. This often results in a situation where a demand for trained professionals increases, but the supply chain remains uneven and narrow.

These structural gaps are evident across technical and managerial fields. Sound engineers, film editors, production coordinators, and story developers are in short supply, and even basic soft skills, such as teamwork and punctuality, are often found lacking. Film schools often prioritise the more glamorous aspects of cinema, such as directing and acting, neglecting the less visible but equally critical technical roles. The outcome is a predictable overflow of creative ambition lacking technical execution. Atinuke Babatunde, the academy director of the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), points out at the August edition of the SMC Filmmakers’ Forum, “If you’re looking for a great sound person, you will still struggle.” This deficit not only affects filmmakers but also undermines Nollywood’s global competitiveness, especially where high production values are non-negotiable.

Storytelling, the core of filmmaking, also reveals the cracks in training. Poor storycraft diminishes artistic merit and even limits commercial potential, and with international viewers increasingly demanding well-integrated storylines, Nollywood will be constrained in national circulation unless scriptwriting workshops, story incubators, and mentorship frameworks are established.

Government programmes have begun paying attention to this gap, though often indirectly. The Digital Access and Livelihoods Initiative (DALI) was launched in August 2025 by the Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, with the ambitious goal of training 20 million Nigerian citizens with digital skills by the year 2030. As commendable as this seems, its generic framework runs the risk of diffusing focus. Unless there are specified routes within creative sectors, Nollywood will be sidelined in the broader policy that is tech-centric. A generic digital capabilities programme cannot substitute for film-specialised training in editing software, production management, or cinematic storytelling.

Educational institutions also offer glimmers of progress. Some Nigerian universities are including practice-based modules in the curriculum, familiarising students with screenwriting, cinematography, and editing. The shift from theory-based learning towards experiential learning signals a welcome trend, but one still too limited in scale. Without stronger ties between academia and industry, graduates risk leaving school with certificates but little or no job experience or employable expertise.

The way forward is quite clear. First, Nollywood needs a proper competency framework, that is, clear standards for editors, cinematographers, sound engineers, and story editors. Without standards, training certificates are just paper. Second, training centres must move beyond Lagos and Abuja. The industry will never reach its full potential if geography decides who gets access. Third, scholarships should target the underserved but essential roles, such as sound, editing, production design, and talent management. These are the spine of filmmaking, yet they remain the least supported.

All of this matters because Nollywood is bigger than entertainment. It is a soft power tool, a source of national pride, and a contributor to GDP. However, its future cannot rest on volume alone. Prolific is good, but professional is better.

The irony is that Nollywood already has what the world wants: energy, stories, and a unique cultural lens. What it lacks are the technical and managerial skills to refine these assets into consistently world-class productions. Thus, training is not an afterthought; rather, it is the bedrock. Invest in it today, and Nollywood will not only hold its own at home but also command respect on the global stage. Ignore it, and we risk becoming an industry that never grows beyond its first draft.

Blessing Bolaji is a research assistant intern at the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, and a writer and emerging corporate storyteller exploring how branding, media, and workplace culture shape the careers of young professionals.