Considering the history of the Nigerian motion picture industry from the post-colonial era, it may be right to say the business of filmmaking started between 1960 and 1970 as a result of increase in production, especially from the Western Nigeria, when former theatre practitioners such as Hubert Ogunde and Moses Olaiya took their art to the big screen. The Indigenization Decree of the Yakubu Gowon regime which demanded the transfer of ownership of about 300 film theatres from their foreign owners to Nigerians resulted in more Nigerians playing active roles in the cinema and film business.
But notwithstanding the rise and rise that has brought the industry to the Nollywood era today, one of the factors that has mitigated against Nigeria from being called a full-fledged film industry is the absence of bilateral collaboration in form of MoU or treaty with other countries.
The South African film industry may not have recorded quantum success but one South African film to achieve international acclaim was ‘The Gods Must Be Crazy’ in 1980. And in recent times, ‘District 9’, an action/science-fiction film directed by Neill Blomkamp. The film which was a critical and commercial success worldwide was nominated for Best Picture at the 82nd Academy Awards. Other notable films are ‘Tsotsi,’ which won the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film at the 78th Academy Awards in 2006 as well as U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, which won the Golden Bear at the 2005 Berlin International Film Festival.
There is no doubt that South Africa, having been opened to other film nations through bilateral cooperation, has earned these feats based on technical development, co-productions, tax rebate, and playing the international film politics.
Although, Nigeria has desired bilateral relationship with other countries, the best it has got were film grants from foreign embassies and development agencies which have no doubt benefitted some filmmakers. Until the incumbent government, the creative industry was under the Ministry of Information that is not constitutionally empowered to sign a treaty with other countries. However, for the first time, there is a feasible move by the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) for collaboration with Morocco for the development of the creative sectors of both counties.
The NFC reported that the discussions are on motion picture co-production treaty between both countries, collaboration between motion picture industries of both countries and cross country collaborations, joint film production, including documentaries, capacity building, festival development, content sales and access to project funding.
The agency believes that when finally sealed through the signing of a Bilateral Memorandum of Understanding and Treaty, Nigeria’s creative industry is expected to witness a leap in its growth through the inflow of direct investment, with measurable impact on the nation’s economy.
Managing Director of NFC, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, led Nigeria’s delegation to the discussion in Morocco, with other delegates, including Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Art and Culture, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, NFC’s Head of Production and Industry Support Services, Mr. Edmund Peters, Head of NFC Abuja Zonal Office, Mrs. Halima Oyelade, and Mohammed Gamul, a film practitioner from Kano State.
Taking a cue from South Africa, the country has entered into co-production treaties with Canada (1997), Italy (2003), Germany (2004) and the United Kingdom (2007), France (2010), New Zealand (2011) and Ireland (2012). South Africa will continue to enter into future co-production treaties with various countries for the benefit of the industry.
The effect of these agreements, as explained on the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) website is that a film or television program which is approved as an official co-production, is regarded as a national production of each of the co-producing countries, and is therefore eligible to apply for any benefits or programs of assistance available in either country. An additional advantage is that each of the co-producers brings access to their domestic market.