If 2023 was the year of the great streaming reset, and 2024 marked the global South’s assertive call for inclusion, then 2025 may well be remembered as the year Nollywood didn’t just arrive; it took its seat at the table.

For the first time in the history of the Marché du Film, Nollywood was not only acknowledged but structurally integrated into the global film industry. Nigeria’s presence at the Cannes Film Festival this year catalyzed a critical conversation – not just about artistry and culture, but about infrastructure, scalability, and what it will truly take for Africa’s most prolific film industry to thrive on a global stage.

Long celebrated as a cultural powerhouse, Nollywood has historically been known for its scrappy ingenuity – a high-output, low-budget machine with unstoppable creative force. It has delivered thousands of films annually, launched multimillion-dollar franchises on microbudgets, and captivated millions – all without fully connecting to international systems.

That narrative is now evolving with purpose and precision.

At the Nigerian International Film Summit (NIF Summit), held during the Cannes Film Festival, a bold new direction took center stage. Industry leaders shifted focus from mere exposure to long-term viability calling for the infrastructure necessary to support repeatable success at scale.

Among the most compelling voices was Kene Okwuosa, Group CEO of Filmhouse Group, West Africa’s largest cinema and distribution network. His message was decisive:

“Hollywood has long relied on pipeline systems that protect IP, guide investment, and deliver consistent outcomes. Nollywood has something just as potent: a devoted, culturally attuned audience. What we’re building now isn’t just a bridge; it’s an ecosystem that enables African stories to move through global markets with the same power and predictability as their Western peers. That’s how you scale culture — not for visibility, but for viability.”

Launched in 2012 with just two cinema screens in Lagos, Filmhouse has grown into a dominant industry player – now operating over 55 screens, managing exclusive theatrical releases for studios like Disney, Sony, and Warner Bros., and developing a vertically integrated model that treats African IP as globally competitive content.

The proof is in the performance.

This year alone:

The emerging strategy is not a Hollywood clone; it’s a tailored system built on local dynamics, where Deadpool and Sinners share screen space, and Nigerian blockbusters can thrive without foreign validation.

As Kene Okwuosa noted:

“Visibility is not the same as viability. We’re building systems that make local content repeatable, not just remarkable.”

That distinction is crucial. While the world’s eyes are finally on Nollywood, the most strategic players aren’t chasing buzz, but building pipelines.

In an era where global audiences are becoming more plural and less Western-centric, those who own the infrastructure – distribution, data, IP, and monetisation channels will define the future of cinema.

Nollywood is no longer asking for entries. It’s building its own doors, and stepping through them with intent.