The crème de la crème of the Nigerian entertainment industry gathered in Lagos on Thursday for the first-of-its-kind Nollywood summit hosted by TikTok.
The event brought to an end the activities of #NollywoodNovember, a series of engagements hosted by TikTok in celebration of the global impact of the Nigerian movie industry.
It witnessed the presence of Nollywood insiders, filmmakers, actors, writers and Nollywood content creators
Among those who attended the event include gossip aficionado Tosin Silverdam, Alex Asogwa, the reality star; Belove Olocha, the content creator; and Nollywood veterans Kate Henshaw and Chidi Mokeme.
Speaking at the event, Bianca Sibiya, head of content operations for TikTok Sub-Saharan Africa, said the platform will provide the filmmakers with “unlimited creative possibilities from pre-and post-production to promotion”.
“Nollywood embraces TikTok to share productions with unlimited creative possibilities, from pre-and post-production to promoting films and experimenting with new storytelling techniques,” she said.
Live at the inaugural TikTok Nollywood Summit #NollywoodNovember#Nollywoodsummit pic.twitter.com/ng6JFXMcsS
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On her part, Vivian Chuene, TikTok’s partnership manager, Sub Sahara Africa, said: “Well, we are here as TikTok to partner and to collaborate on the immense opportunities in order to further spotlight Nollywood content to the 1 billion-plus TikTok users around the globe.
“With over a billion active users on the platform every day, it’s very important to keep in mind that the platform has a remarkable opportunity to amplify your creativity, your voices… and forge a deeper connection with your fans.”
Also speaking, Henshaw said TikTok has been providing users with uniqueness in terms of creative content production.
“Consistency is key; maintain a steady output of your work and avoid limiting yourself in creativity. In acting, infuse life into your role, regardless of whether it’s a small or substantial part. Your commitment and passion will shine through, no matter the size of the role,” she said.
Jim Iyke, on his part, described TikTok as a “melting pot” that unites “individuals through art and craftsmanship, offering a straightforward platform to express thoughts and perspectives on global issues”.
He added that the platform has also taken the movie industry to global audiences without intermediaries.
Chidi Mokeme praised TikTok’s global reach, making entertainment accessible and democratising the creative and knowledge-based industries.
“The platform’s algorithm and user interface align well with the entertainment industry,” he said.
“By leveraging TikTok, Nollywood stakeholders can increase visibility, drive engagement, and attract new opportunities for collaborations and monetisation.”
Similarly, actor Eso Dike attributed his international reach to TikTok communities.
“TikTok connects people from various backgrounds worldwide, offering diverse methods to share stories,” he said.
“It’s a fantastic platform to showcase my talents to a broad and varied audience, effectively increasing visibility and engagement.”
Nollywood dominates on TikTok In Africa
TikTok also acknowledged Nollywood’s impact in November, honouring a film industry renowned for its diverse films across varying budgets and genres. Throughout the month, TikTok showcased the industry’s influence through success stories from prominent public figures and publishers who have excelled on the platform.
As part of the summit, 100 key stakeholders, including publishers, media representatives, studios, and performers, shared insight on utilising TikTok for global success. They received valuable guidance from leading TikTok publishers and participated in a masterclass led by TikTok’s team, focusing on effective platform utilisation throughout the entire production cycle.
Notably, the Nollywood hashtag has garnered over 7.1 billion video views, with more than 280,000 published videos, positioning it as a rising star in the global movie industry. Comparatively, Bollywood boasts 133 billion video views, and Hollywood follows with 37.6 billion video views. This data underscores Nollywood’s rapid ascent, signalling its potential to rival Hollywood and Bollywood in both popularity and success.
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