Ever wondered who the top video producers in Nigeria are? You’re not the only one as many other Nigerians like yourself wonder who oversees the production of their favourite Nollywood movies. In this article, we’d be mentioning the top 10 producers in Nigeria. We should let you know beforehand that movie production differs from movie directing, and should not be used interchangeably. However, some producers we’re going to mention here also direct their films.
The top 10 video producers in Nigeria would be discussed below:
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Emem Isong
Emem Isong’s foray into video production began in 1994 when she wrote the script and co-produced a movie titled Jezebel. Two years later, in 1996, she solely produced the movie Breaking Point.
To hone her craft better and gain more industry experience, Emem Isong worked with Remmy Jez from 2000 until 2008, as a producer for his movies. From then to this point, her expertise in producing substantial and artful movies led to her being listed as a maverick in the New Nollywood movement.
The movies to which she holds a producer credit number over 30, with notable mentions being Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Forgetting June, Edikan, and Games Women Play, to name a few.
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Kunle Afolayan
Kunle Afolayan is one of the top video producers in Nigeria today. Although he is also an actor, movie director, and screenwriter, Kunle Afolayan is widely credited for producing high-quality films that elevate the quality of Nollywood movies.
After incorporating his film and movie production company, Golden Effect Pictures, in 2005, he produced his first film Irapada in 2006. He has produced several other high-quality films, many of which he starred in as an actor and/or directed. Some notable films he has produced include Anikulapo, Swallow, Mokalik, Omugwo, The CEO, October 1, and Phone Swap.
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Tchidi Chikere
With over 100 films he is credited to have directed and produced, Tchidi Chikere deservedly has a spot on this list of top 10 video producers in Nigeria. For more than 20 years, Tchidi has produced and is still producing high-quality Nollywood home movies.
One of his most notable films he is credited to have produced (and directed, as well) is the 2003 classic, Blood Sisters, which featured Oge Okoye, Genevieve Nnaji, and Omotola Jalade. He is also produced Stronger Than Pain (2008), Gold Not Silver (2011), Paint My Life (2012), and Dumebi (2013), to name a few.
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Funke Akindele
Funke Akindele, though widely known as an actress, is also a movie producer. As a producer, Funke Akindele has worked on two Nollywood movies that well well received and turned out to be Box Office successes.
Omo Ghetto: The Saga, a gangster comedy film is the first film Funke Akindele produced, albeit not solely. The film went on to gross a whopping N636.1 million at the Box Office.
Battle on Buka Street, a comedy-drama is the second Nollywood film she holds producer credits for. The film received positive reviews and grossed N668,423,056 at the Box Office.
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Mo Abudu
Mo Abudu, the owner of EbonyLife Films, is on the list because her movie production company is responsible for the production of numerous high-quality Nigerian movies. Sometimes, EbonyLife solely produces films, and other times partners with other production studios.
In 2015, a year after she established EbonyLife Films, Mo Abudu, got her first executive producer credit for the romantic drama Fifty. She has executively produced and/or produced several other blockbusters such as The Wedding Party, The Wedding Party 2, Oloture, Chief Daddy, Chief Daddy 2, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel, and Your Excellency.
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Tope Oshin
Tope Oshin spent 12 years as an actress in the Nollywood industry before she made a foray into directing and producing movies. Before she began producing Nollywood films that became Box Office successes, Tope Oshin directed and produced several short films, including The Young Smoker, Crush, New Horizons, and Till Death Do Us Part. She also produced Up North and New Money.
Tope Oshin’s most successful movie productions include The Wedding Party 2 and Fifty. Both films were received with positive reviews and raked in hundreds of millions at the Box Office. Her other movie productions include We Don’t Live Here Anymore, and Amaka’s Kin: The Women of Nollywood; a memorial documentary for the late Nollywood filmmaker, Amaka Igwe.
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Jidesola Osiberu
Jideosola Osiberu, the founder of Greoh Studios, is one of the top video producers in Nigeria today. She is widely known for producing the 2019 Nollywood film, Sugar Rush, which was a monumental success.
She has also produced several other films and series, such as Rumour Has It, Nigerian Trade, Ayinla, and Brotherhood. In September 2022, her music production company, Greoh Studies signed a 3-year deal with Amazon to develop and produce original scripted TV series and feature films.
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Kemi Adetiba
Although widely recognized as a stellar video director, Kemi Adetiba is also a superb movie producer. She has her own movie production company known as Kemi Adetiba Visuals.
The 2018 crime political thriller, King of Boys, is an example of a Nollywood film where Kemi Adetiba is credited as one of the co-producers. She also wrote and directed King of Boys. The Wedding Party and King of Boys: The Return of the King are some other high-grossing Nollywood films that Kemi Adetiba was involved in but as a director.
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Naz Onuzo
Chinaza Onuzo, along with Zulumoke Oyibo, Damola Ademola, and Omotaya Ademola, jointly own Inkblot Production, known to produce many blockbuster Nollywood films. Naz Onuzo’s expertise as a movie producer earns him a spot on this list.
As a part of Inkblot Productions, Naz Onuzo has executive director and/or director credits in several Nigerian films which the company produced. The films he produced include The Set Up, The Perfect Arrangement, Palava, The Blood Covenant, Super Star, Quam’s Money, and Love is War, to name a few.
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Muyiwa Ademola
Muyiwa Ademola is a top movie producer in Nigeria, particularly the Yoruba movies. His debut as a movie producer was in the mid-1990s, producing his first script for a movie titled Asise (Blunder). Muy Authentic Presentations, Muyiwa’s production company has produced numerous Yoruba films such as
Fimidara Ire
Gbarada, Iranse Aje, and
J.J.
Special mention should be given to ELFIKE Film Collective. The ELFIKE Film Collective is a partnership of four major production houses in Nigeria: EbonyLife Films, FilmOne Distribution, Inkblot Productions, and Koga Studios, respectively. This partnership is responsible for producing most of the highest-grossing Nollywood films of all time, such as The Wedding Party, among others.