Netflix Decommissions and the Future of Nigerian Filmmaking

To reduce overreliance on foreign streaming services like Netflix, the Nigerian film industry must prioritize investment in local distribution and a commitment to quality.

The Zuma International Film Festival kicked off in Abuja on 1 December 2025, bringing together filmmakers and stakeholders from Nigeria and the world to celebrate cinematic excellence, cultural exchange, and innovation in the film industry. The event set the stage for a range of discourse on the future of film. It also sparked discussions on the challenges facing the nation’s film industry, with fears of Netflix divesting from the domestic market after insider reports of recently decommissioned work.

During a panel discussion, Kunle Afolayan—Nigerian actor, producer, and director—claimed that Netflix had recently informed filmmakers of their divestment, which he described as the ‘fatal last supper.’ ‘I’ve tried to avoid this because it’s really heartbreaking,’ he said in disappointment. News outlets soon took to report the Netflix scandal, with some claiming that Netflix has exited the market entirely and others asserting that they had decommissioned several film projects.

But what exactly has Netflix officially confirmed? A Netflix spokesperson told TechCabal: ‘We are not exiting Nigeria. We will continue to invest in Nigerian stories to delight our audience.’ While acknowledging the cancellations that took place, they reassured Nigerians that they remain committed to Nigerian content and maintaining its long-standing partnerships with local filmmakers. The Netflix decommissions have importantly opened questions within the industry about areas like funding, distribution, production, and consumption. I spoke with a Nigerian film producer (who chose to remain anonymous) who reported that they were working on a project with other filmmakers that got decommissioned by Netflix around the time that the news broke. ‘The project that I was writing and developing for over six months got cancelled,’ they told me...

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