‘Nigeria’s Netflix’ takes Nollywood to a global audience

In the iRoko TV office, the backdrop of a popular Kenyan soap opera, Shuga, writerly plays out, aptly illustrating the mission of the company often dubbed the ‘Netflix of Africa.’ Founder Jason Njoku, based in a glass partitioned niche overlooking the company hub, plays a paramount role in metamorphosing Nollywood – Nigeria’s film industry – from a DVD-reliant entity to a predominantly digital one.

Interestingly, the roots of iRokoTV trace back to London, however, Njoku now operates from Lagos, capitalizing on a mission to bring African films to global notice. Since the dawn of iRokoTV in 2011, its expansive online movie catalogue has facilitated millions of global views. An annual budget of $3 million to $4 million is dedicated to content creation and licensing, and the digital rights to stream a movie cost anywhere from $10,000 to $25,000 for a stipulated period.

iRokoTV extends unlimited access to a pan-African collection to subscribers at a flat monthly rate of $8, albeit, a huge chunk of the content hails from Nigeria and Ghana. Over the years, other players like Pana TV, which bagged the viewing rights for ‘Half Of A Yellow Sun,’ amovie starring Hollywood celebrities Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton, have intensified industry competition.

Despite the hurdles of production and distribution, Nollywood continues growing phenomenally, now contributing a sizable 1.4% to Nigeria’s GDP. It’s eclipsed only by Bollywood when it comes to operational scale, rolling out nearly 50 films a week. These movies traditionally launch through DVD and are sold at relatively low prices on Nigerian streets. Although the shift away from DVDs may adversely affect the industry, platforms like iRokoTV and Pana TV fill the gap by granting international access to African films. Surprisingly, local DVD sellers don’t find these digital platforms threatening.

Still, the film industry reckons it hasn’t entirely tapped into its potentials, largely due to the sporadic availability of the internet and the insufficient regulatory measures overseeing filmmaking rights and distribution processes. Added to this, pay TV outlets such as Africa Magic are continuously augmenting their local content in various African languages, thereby escalating the competition.

Regardless, Njoku remains optimistic about iRokoTV’s future, highlighting that features like pausing, rewinding, or skipping films, which are absent on traditional TV, imply that digital platforms still have vast scope for expansion.

This article was updated in 2025 to reflect current trends and insights.