At the first edition of NECLive in 2013, late filmmaker Amaka Igwe, responsible for films like Rattlesnake and Violated, reflected on the beginnings of Nollywood. She described the industry’s journey as one shaped by both missed opportunities and the ingenuity of ordinary Nigerians determined to tell their own stories.
According to her, Nollywood’s roots go back to the government’s ban on cinema culture–a decision that did “more harm than good.” With cinema gone, NTA thrived as the sole broadcaster, creating popular shows like Village Headmaster, Ripples, and Cock Crow at Dawn.
But celluloid filmmaking gave way to video, and while soaps such as Mirror in the Sun and Checkmate gave rise to new talent, NTA’s monopoly and the need for sponsorship meant opportunities remained limited.
The real turning point came with the arrival of VHS technology. Nigerians wanted local stories on tape, because what existed were films from China and India and the US, and Kenneth Nnebue’s Living in Bondage did just that. Made with television stars and sold on video tapes, it was a hit, and marked the moment the film Igwe called the true constitution of Nollywood.
While some professionals dismissed it, others welcomed it. Financial institutions and the government weren’t convinced, but audiences embraced it. Living in Bondage made millions, and suddenly everyone wanted to be a filmmaker. The boom pushed the industry toward more structure, with greater attention on both process and technology.
For Igwe, Nollywood’s birth was not a polished process but one born of resilience, improvisation, and a hunger for expression. What began as an effort to fill empty VHS tapes became both a multi-million-naira industry, and the foundation of a cultural movement that still shapes how Nigeria is perceived today.
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