Nollywood actor and producer Jide Awobona has delivered a powerful reality check on the pressure of views, money, and industry comparison, while revealing the tough economics of YouTube filmmaking and the value of small-scale productions.
Speaking on the Conversations With Kenni podcast hosted by Kehinde Ajose, Awobona addressed whether creatives should chase commercial numbers or simply create. He was clear that money remains essential.
“One has to make money because it’s not just views. It equates to money. Not all the time, but most of the time. No matter how bad the RPM is, if I have 10 million views, I will still smile to the bank.”
He shared a recent conversation with a producer who felt ashamed of her numbers after alleged shading from colleagues.
“I told her, ‘you have over 200 thousand views. That’s a lot of people watching your movies. Do you know what that means? If not for the fact that the remuneration is poor, you should be in money! If 200 thousand people bought a ticket to see your film, do you know what that means? You’re doing well. Forget the millions.’”
Awobona blamed the constant comparison for killing joy.
“The problem comes when we start to compare, forgetting to appreciate our little wins.”
He recalled his early success with Crafts, his first film that made him almost 2 million naira from around 200 thousand views, noting how poorer remuneration today results from content saturation.
He strongly defended small-scale and frequent YouTube productions as the real backbone of Nollywood.
“The small scale productions are the real nollywood now because the churn out productions every time. Without them, how will the crew survive?”
He pointed out that big names like Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham, and Mo Abudu produce infrequently, sometimes once a year.
“The big producers — Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham, Mo Abudu — don’t produce often. Maybe once a year. No matter how much the big producers pay, the crew members can’t survive on just that through the whole year.”
On the debate around YouTube films, Awobona referenced Owobo Ogunde’s comment that such works are not real films. He partly agreed, explaining that YouTube was not designed for full-length movies and that nollywood creators are giving the platform more than it was built for. He pointed out that high-earning creators abroad often make simpler phone content, while Nigerian producers invest heavily.
“Rise With Me didn’t make me any money but I spent almost 10 million on it even though it’s a small scale production.”
Looking ahead, he spoke about his upcoming film Ikunle, set for release on YouTube.
“I did Ikunle, it’s a beautiful film I’m about to release. I wish it wasn’t going to YouTube. But then, let me just drop it there.”
When asked about alternatives such as Femi Adebayo’s community cinema model, Awobona said he would research it further and is open to exploring new options.
His frank talk highlights the financial struggles, quiet wins, and resilience required in today’s Nollywood, encouraging creators to keep pushing regardless of the numbers.