Nigerian actor and Big Brother Naija alumnus, Pere Egbi, has sparked debate in the film industry by stating that South Africa’s movie industry is ahead of Nollywood in terms of filmmaking, storytelling, and work ethics. Egbi made this remark in a post on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing that Nigeria’s movie industry still has a lot to learn from its South African counterpart.
Egbi’s opinion highlights the ongoing debate about Nollywood’s global competitiveness. While Nigeria is celebrated as the second-largest film producer in the world by volume, critics argue that the industry struggles with quality production, distribution networks, and international recognition compared to other African players like South Africa.
Pere Egbi, who gained fame as a housemate in the Big Brother Naija “Shine Ya Eye” season, has built a multifaceted career beyond reality TV. He is an actor, singer, and songwriter, and has starred in international and local productions such as Gem of the Rain Forest, Pound of Flesh, and Blood Vessel.
Egbi’s statement suggests that Nollywood can benefit from collaboration with the South African film industry. This could potentially lead to improvements in production quality, storytelling, and work ethics, ultimately enhancing Nollywood’s global competitiveness.
Despite being the second-largest film producer in the world, Nollywood still lags behind other film industries in terms of international recognition and awards.
By acknowledging these challenges and learning from other film industries, Nollywood can work towards improving its global standing and producing high-quality films that resonate with audiences worldwide.
