Entertainment (Commonwealth Union)
The Nigerian International Film Summit (NIFS) made a significant mark at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Founded by veteran executive Ijeoma Onah, a rising star in the industry who has gathered impressive experience integrating Nigerian filmmakers into the global markets, NIFS focuses on the elevation of Nollywood’s exposure to the world.
At this year’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival, Toyosi Etim-Effiong, a dynamic force in Nigerian entertainment, stepped into the international spotlight, participating as a panelist for the NIFS. Held at Marché du Film, the summit displayed not only Nollywood’s global ambition but also a critical shift in conversation from visibility to viability.
Curated by Ijejeoma Onah, the panel titled “Meet the African Talents: The Global Integration of African Creatives” assembles key figures in the industry to address the pressing question of how African creatives could venture beyond applause to establish a long-term influence on the global entertainment industry.
Nollywood has, for decades, dazzled audiences with its vibrancy, volume, and cultural depth and yet operated largely outside the global systems. The panel acknowledged that while the global interest in Nigerian film has surged, the industry remains challenged by its inadequate infrastructure, insufficient policy support, and fragmented licensing.
Founder of That Good Media, Etim-Effiong, who is also a respected advocate for cross-border collaborations, stated that “Nollywood’s time for global recognition, respect and rewards has come”. Her participation in the event highlighted the increasing resolve among Nigerian creatives to claim a space in the global industry not just as storytellers, but as economic stakeholders.
She was also joined by prominent influencers in the industry such as Esse Akwawa and Edith Nwekenta of Webek Studios, Kemi Lala Akindoju of The Make It Happen Productions, and director and producer Ronya Man as the panel explored the journey of how authentic African narratives could be integrated into international markets through partnerships and sustainable models.
The summit also delivered a sharp criticism of the internal structure that underpins Nollywood. This emphasized key sentiments from the second session – “The Nollywood Conversations: A Deep Dive into Opportunities to Present African Stories for Global Screens”. Headed by Nigeria’s leading film and cinema conglomerate, Filmhouse Group, the session took a step further into advocating for institutional frameworks that would allow African cinema to scale effectively.
Represented by Group CEO Kene Okwuosa, Ladun Owubokun, the Chief Content Officer of FilmOne Entertainment, Filmhouse laid an inspired plan for the future. “The world wants African stories,” Okwuosa stated, “but it’s our responsibility to ensure we’re creating the ecosystems to sustain that demand. From licensing frameworks and exhibition strategies to co-productions and international distribution, we must build for scale, not just success.”
Filmhouse’s vertically integrated model—from the production of content to cinema operations and distribution—has positioned it as a vital player in reshaping Nollywood’s global reach. Its partnerships with multiple Hollywood studios, such as Disney, Warner Bros., and Sony, through FilmOne Entertainment, establish a new era of collaboration.
Projects with high production values, such as 77: The Festac Conspiracy, and box office hits like Everybody Loves Jenifa and Sinners, grossing over $770,000 and $577,000, respectively, are proof of the Nigerian film industry’s ability to create content that appeals to both local and international audiences. Filmhouse is now targeting $50 million in group revenue by 2030, fueled by co-productions, regional licensing, and platform-neutral monetization.
The NIF Summit at the 2025 Cannes reinstated that the future of Nollywood cinema lies not in validation but in securing sustainability. With the conversation changing, the goal has evolved above mere storytelling into building its place in the words to thrive.
