For about eight years now, Netflix has transformed Nollywood’s creativity, storytelling, and cultural representation. The industry has grown into one of the largest film industries globally, showcasing Africa’s rich heritage and narratives to a worldwide audience.

From 2016 to 2022, Netflix supported African cinema through investments and initiatives like film schools, fostering industry growth. Aside from Netflix’s influence, visionary filmmakers, producers, and actors have elevated Nollywood’s reputation through their groundbreaking work.

Here are some Nollywood producers who have partnered with Netflix, creating globally acclaimed films and advancing a sustainable Nollywood.

Kunle Afolayan

As a famous Nollywood filmmaker known for creating amazing movies that show off Nigerian culture, Kunle Afolayan started as an actor and then became a director and producer, making some of the best films in the industry.

One of his most popular movies is Aníkúlápó (2022), a fantasy story set in ancient Oyo. People say it’s like Game of Thrones but with better Nigerian cultural representation. It became a big hit on Netflix because of its exciting story and beautiful visuals. The sequel, Aníkúlápó: Rise of the Spectre (2024), continues the story with more Yoruba culture and thrilling moments.

Kunle has also made other great movies, like Swallow (2021), about the struggles women faced in 1980s Nigeria, and Citation (2020), which talks about dealing with sexual harassment in schools. In 2023, he released Ijogbon, an adventure movie about growing up, as part of his Netflix movie deal.

Naz Onuzo

Aside from being a pioneer in the Nigerian film industry, Co-founder of Inkblot Productions, Chinaza Onuzo has a knack for creating universally relatable stories, which has made him become a trusted partner for Netflix.

With over 9.8 million viewing hours, his company produced Far from Home, a Netflix original series that captured audiences worldwide. Far from Home showed Onuzo’s ability to deliver engaging, high-quality content that stands out on a global stage.

In addition to his achievements as a producer, Onuzo’s leadership at FilmOne Entertainment and Filmhouse Cinemas has been instrumental in advancing the distribution and promotion of Nigerian films, expanding their reach to broader audiences.

Charles Okpaleke

Popularly known as Charles of Play, Charles Okpaleke is a big name in Nollywood. He’s famous for taking old Nigerian classics and making them fresh and exciting for today’s audience.

As the boss of Play Network Africa, Charles has worked hard to share Nigerian stories with the world, teaming up with Netflix to make his movies even bigger. One of his most famous movies, Living in Bondage: Breaking Free, continued the story of the 1992 classic Living in Bondage and became a huge hit, winning seven Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards in 2020.

In 2023, his movie Blood Vessel was watched for over 8.8 million hours in just one week on Netflix, showing how great he is at sharing Nigerian culture with the world. Next, in 2024, he made Hijack ’93, a thrilling movie about a real-life airplane hijacking in Nigeria.

Chinenye Nworah

Having started a company called Giant Creative Media, where she creates stories that people really love, Chinenye Nworah, also known as Chichi Nworah, is a Nigerian movie producer and storyteller who has done amazing things in Nollywood. 

One of her biggest hits is Shanty Town, a Netflix series she worked on in 2023. The show tells the exciting story of three hustlers in Lagos and was a huge success, with people watching it for over 27.3 million hours between January and June. It became the second most-watched African series on Netflix, right after South Africa’s Unseen.

Chichi also produced another great show, Slum King, which won the Best MNET Original Series award at the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA). She’s one of the stars of Nollywood, bringing awesome stories to the world!

Kemi Adetiba

As an amazing Nigerian filmmaker who has changed the way people see Nollywood, Kemi Adetiba born in Lagos started off studying law at the University of Lagos. But her love for media and creativity led her to work in broadcasting and, eventually, filmmaking.

She started her career as a radio host at Rhythm 93.7 FM and then moved to television, where she worked on shows like Studio 53 and Maltina Dance All. Later, she went to the New York Film Academy to learn more about directing and making films.

Adetiba has directed music videos for popular Nigerian artists like TY Bello and Omawumi. Her short film Across a Bloodied Ocean was a big hit and brought her attention from around the world, paving the way for her future projects.

In 2018, she made the movie King of Boys, which was a game-changer for Nollywood with its intense story and amazing visuals. Then, in 2021, she made history again with the sequel King of Boys: The Return of the King, showing how talented she is at making films that everyone loves.

Femi Adebayo

A well-known actor, producer, and lawyer, Femi Adebayo Salami has made a big impact on Yoruba cinema and has been recognized both in Nigeria and around the world.

His film Jagun Jagun, which he co-wrote with Adebayo Tijani, is a stunning Yoruba epic that captured people’s attention with its beautiful visuals and authentic cultural details. It became a Netflix hit, racking up over 2.1 million viewing hours in just 48 hours after its release.

Jagun Jagun is a great example of how traditional Yoruba stories can connect with audiences everywhere and show the world the richness of Nigerian culture.

Adebimpe Oyebade

Known for her versatility as both an actress and producer, Adebimpe Oyebade has made her mark telling stories about Nigeria’s history. She worked with Netflix to create Lisabi: The Uprising (2024), an exciting movie about the Lisabi Rebellion that happened in Abeokuta in the 18th century.

The movie, directed by Niyi Akinmolayan and produced alongside Victoria Akujobi, stars amazing actors like Ibrahim Chatta and Eniola Ajao. It tells the story of Lisabi Agbongbo-Akala, a farmer who became a hero by leading a rebellion. The film brought this important part of Nigerian history to life, and people loved it!

Kene Egbue

As a  First-Class graduate and business strategist, Kene Egbue is known for his commitment to crafting narratives that celebrate African heritage as well as a strategic mind and passion for African culture have positioned him as a force in Nollywood.

He co-executive produced Afamefuna: An Nwa Boi Story, a Netflix hit that showed the Igbo Apprenticeship System. The film, directed by Kayode Kasum, captivated audiences with its heartfelt portrayal of mentorship, sacrifice, and personal growth. It held the number-one spot on Netflix Nigeria for three consecutive weeks, earning praise for its cultural significance and emotional depth.

Editi Effiong

CEO of Anakle, a top digital agency in Lagos, Editi Effiong is an important Nigerian filmmaker known for using his skills in filmmaking, writing, and business to combine technology, storytelling, and social change.

Effiong is famous for not just making great movies but also for using his platform to talk about important issues. During the #EndSARS protests in 2020, he live-tweeted the hearings, showing his dedication to being open and fighting for justice. This helped him gain a lot of respect and followers in Nigeria.

He has worked on several big projects like Up North and Day of Destiny. His first movie as a director, The Black Book, came out on Netflix on September 22, 2023, and quickly became a hit, reaching No. 3 on Netflix’s global charts. With a budget of $1 million, the movie had 5.6 million views and 11.6 million watch hours in just the first 48 hours. It even made it to the top ten charts in 38 countries, proving that Effiong is a filmmaker to watch.

Mo Abudu

Mosunmola Abudu, also known as Mo Abudu, is one of Africa’s most important people in the media world. She’s the founder and CEO of EbonyLife Media and has worked hard to change the way African stories are told. Forbes even called her “Africa’s Most Successful Woman,” which shows how much she has accomplished in the entertainment industry.

Mo Abudu has made African stories known to people all over the world through her amazing films. One of her biggest hits is Blood Sisters (2022), a Netflix original. It’s a murder-mystery drama with a great cast that got over 11 million viewing hours in just its first week and made it into Netflix’s global top 10.

Another powerful movie she made is Oloture (2020), which shows the harsh world of human trafficking from the perspective of an undercover journalist. The story was so impactful that it led to a sequel, Oloture 2.

Mo Abudu also worked on Elesin Oba: The King’s Horseman (2022), which is based on the play Death and the King’s Horseman by Wole Soyinka. The film shows Nigerian traditions and the struggles during colonial times and was brought to life by director Biyi Bandele and a talented cast.

Chinny Onwugbenu

Chinny Onwugbenu is a well-known Nigerian film producer who has helped make Nollywood famous around the world. She’s best known for co-producing Road to Yesterday (2015) and producing Lionheart (2018), which was the first Nigerian film to be picked up by Netflix.

Chinny studied Economics at Pennsylvania State University and got her MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management. Her strong business skills have played a big part in her success in making great films.

In 2018, she worked with Genevieve Nnaji to co-produce Lionheart. Genevieve also directed the film. This movie was a big deal because it was the first Nigerian Netflix Original and was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it was praised by many people. Lionheart became Nigeria’s first-ever submission for the Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category.