The Director of the Kaduna International Film Festival (KADIFF), Audu Israel, has identified poor funding, socio-religious restrictions, inadequate access to modern equipment and limited government support as major obstacles to the growth of Northern Nigeria’s film industry.
Israel said the challenges had restricted filmmakers’ creative freedom, weakened their ability to compete with counterparts in Southern Nigeria and limited the international reach of their productions.
He made the remarks during a media engagement with journalists in Kaduna on Monday, calling on the Federal Government to establish stronger support structures for the creative industry and ensure that filmmakers benefit from policies intended to promote its development.
According to him, Nigeria’s film industry relies largely on private-sector investment, unlike countries such as India, where government-backed structures have helped support the growth of the industry.
“In other countries, the film industry is very instrumental to the government’s responsibility. That is why you see Bollywood has a structure; the government has a structure for them. But in Nigeria, it is not the same,” he said.
The KADIFF director criticised what he described as the limited impact of government engagement with creative practitioners, urging the Minister of Art and Culture to consult industry stakeholders, understand their concerns and develop practical solutions.
“The minister is working, but they don’t feel the impact of the government,” Israel said.
He acknowledged that professional associations had introduced initiatives, including partnerships with health insurance providers, to support practitioners. However, he maintained that such efforts could not replace the government’s responsibility to develop the industry.
“The government has a major role to play. The contact person of the government is the minister, so this falls on her table,” he added.
Israel called for increased investment, professional training and improved production facilities to help filmmakers develop their skills and compete more effectively.
Israel identified restrictions on creative expression as another major challenge facing Northern filmmakers, particularly those working in Hausa-language productions.
He argued that socio-religious considerations had limited the subjects filmmakers could explore and the extent to which their work could be promoted to wider audiences.
“The major reason why the South is more advanced in the film industry is because they can freely and openly expose their art to the world. But here in the North, there are limitations to what you can do,” he said.
He added that these restrictions, combined with limited professional exposure and inadequate funding, had affected the international competitiveness of Northern films.
According to Israel, much of the region’s film production remains focused on Northern audiences, with limited representation on major international streaming platforms such as Netflix.
The festival director also highlighted the cost of modern filmmaking equipment as a significant barrier to international distribution.
He said filmmakers often struggled to acquire the cameras and technical resources needed to meet the production standards required by international distributors.
“Netflix has its standard. If you are able to meet that standard, you know your camera cannot go on Netflix,” he said, explaining that many Northern filmmakers could not afford the equipment needed to meet those requirements.
Israel called for improved access to production technology and facilities to help local filmmakers produce content capable of reaching international audiences.
He also urged authorities and industry stakeholders to strengthen intellectual property protection and expand access to professional training.
Israel argued that films dealing with insecurity and other social problems should be treated as opportunities to raise awareness and encourage solutions rather than being unnecessarily restricted.
He called on the government, private investors, banks, telecommunications companies and technology firms to invest more in filmmaking, noting that the creative industry could generate employment and contribute to economic development.
He said KADIFF would continue to provide a platform for connecting filmmakers with investors, policymakers and cultural institutions to strengthen the creative sector in Kaduna State and across Northern Nigeria.
Culture4 years ago
