Apart from the Nigerian music industry, Nollywood has been a source of joy and entertainment for several Nigerians out there, and this tells you that our movie industry has done well for itself to be recognized not just locally, but on a global scale as well.
The fact is that the actors, producers, cameramen, directors, scriptwriters, make-up professionals, waka passers e.t.c, all deserve praise for putting in the consistent hard work and raw talent to make the industry what it is today. These professionals have singlehandedly brought the attention of the world to film in Nigeria, and they deserve lots of accolades for transforming Nollywood into what we know it as nowadays.
While every cast and crew play an important role in every movie, the producers are the real master minders because their idea is always the reason for the gathering in the first place. Sadly, these filmmakers are not as popular as the actors who act in front of the cameras, but their work never go unnoticed.
Without Nollywood producers, there is no industry to brag about as they make everyone and everything tick on set by bringing out the best in whatever tools they assemble for a project. So without further ado, check out our list of Best Nollywood Producers In Nigeria (2022).
1. Tade Ogidan:
Tade Ogidan was born in Surulere, Lagos State on the 23rd of July 1960, and his parents were Mr. and Mrs Akinola and Rachael Ogidan. He is a talented Nollywood producer who is highly respected by his peers for consistently releasing memorable projects since he began his career in filming.
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This career actually kicked off in the 1970s when he used to work alongside David Orere, a TV producer in NTA, the National Television Authority, Lagos State. David consistently took Tade to the studio back then for acting lessons but he just was not interested in being in front of the camera, he preferred to be behind it.
Some of his unforgettable projects include “The Reign of Abiku,” and “Blinking Hope,” and both movies put him in the spotlight till he went on to clinch several awards in the 80s at different Television festivals. Tade became popular all across Nigeria and so many people became interested in paying for his production services.
In the year 1990, Tade Ogidan quit NTA to launch his own company, OGD Pictures Limited, which takes care of movie productions, TV screenwriting, filmmaking, directing and every other thing that has to do with the media. His list of popular movies includes:
Owo Blow – (1995)
7 to 12 – (1997)
Out of Bounds – (1997)
Hostages – (1998)
Diamond Ring – (1998)
Saving Alero – (2002)
Ayomida – (2003)
Dangerous Twins – (2004)
Aya mi Owon: Madam Dearest – (2005)
Family on Fire – (2011)
Playing Games – (2012)
Gold Statue – (2019).
2. Emem Isong:
She is a beautiful and talented woman blessed with the skills and wisdom to be one of the best film producers Nigeria has ever known. Emem is from Akwa-Ibom State and she was born on the 5th of September several years ago. She studied Theater Arts at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) and she is one of the respected Nollywood producers in Nigeria, with several awards to her name.
Her movie career started in 1994 after she co-produced a movie titled “Jezebel.” This movie gained a lot of recognition after its release and this motivated Emem to produce more, including her first solo movie, “Breaking Point,” which was released in 1996.
Isong is not just a producer, she is also a screenwriter and a movie director. Most of her movies get released under her own company, but she is known to have been collaborating with Remmy Jez on a lot of his movies since 2013.
Being a very hardworking and talented producer has definitely paid off over the years because Emem has earned a lot of awards for her work, including Best Producer for the movie “Memories of my Heart” at ZAFAA Awards 2010 and Best Movie Producer of the Year for “I’ll Take My Chances” at Eloy Awards in 2011.
To lend her voice to the development of the Nigerian movie industry and Nigeria as a nation, Isong also founded Royal Arts Academy (RAA) to serve as a platform to train new rising new talents which will in turn touch several lives that will contribute to Nollywood’s success in the nearest future. Her list of popular movies include:
Jezebel – (1994)
Breaking Point – (1996)
Private Sin – (2003)
Promise Me Forever – (2004)
For Real – (2004)
Masterstroke – (2004)
Critical Decision – (2004)
Men Do Cry – (2005)
I Feel U – (2005)
Endless Lies – (2005)
Girls in the Hood -(2005)
Games Women Play – (2005)
Behind Closed Doors – (2005)
Games Men Play – (2006)
Traumatised – (2006)
Yahoo Millionaire – (2007)
A Time To Love – (2007)
Unfinished Business – (2007)
Reloaded – (2008)
Edikan – (2009)
Memories of War – (2010)
Bursting Out – (2010)
Kiss and Tell – (2010)
Holding Hope – (2010)
I’ll Take My Chances – (2011)
Silver Lining – (2012)
Forgetting June – (2013)
Knocking on Heaven’s Door – (2014)
Apaye – (2014)
Don’t Cry For Me – (2015)
Ayamma – (2016).
3. Tope Oshin:
Another force to reckon when it comes to movie production in Nigeria is none other than Tope Oshin. In 2009, Tope was listed as one of the most influential Nigerians in film, which proves that she had done enough via her works and personality to gain the respect of the entire industry within a very short time.
Oshin was born on June 10th, 1979 and she had her tertiary education at Lagos State University (LASU), before furthering her education at Colorado Film School while studying in Met Film School London. She has since received several certifications for her work in the film industry and we can only say very well deserved.
Tope actually began her career as an actress and she went on to feature in several Nollywood movies in an acting career that spanned 12 years. However, she eventually decided to ditch being in front of the cameras to engage in movie production full time.
She has since been the brain behind several blockbuster movies in Nigeria, including “The Wedding Party 2,” “Fifty,” and many others. It will shock no one to know that an accomplished Nollywood producer like Tope has various awards to her name, but the one that stands out till today has to be her “Teens Favorite Awards – Teen Favorite TV & Film Producer,” award. Her list of popular movies includes:
Moments with Mo – (2009)
We Don’t Live Here Anymore – (2018)
The Young Smoker – (2011)
Love and War – (2013)
Conversations At Dinner – (2013)
Tinsel – (2009-2013)
New Horizons – (2013)
Till Death Do Us Part – (2013)
Walk The Talk – (2014)
Crush – (2014)
Ireti – (2015)
Amaka’s Kin – (2016)
Evol – (2016)
Ever After – (2017).
4. Kunle Afolayan:
He is definitely a household name and he is the founder and the CEO of Kunle Afolayan Productions Television (KAPTv) and Golden Effects Pictures.
Kunle has to be a force in Nollywood, especially with his talent and drive that most Nigerians have come to recognize and respect him for. Afolayan has various movies in the highest-grossing film list of the 2000s that prove he is not just a skilful man, he is all about the profits too.
Most of his latest projects can be found on Netflix as the streaming giant has a licensing agreement with Kunle Afolayan’s production company. To be precise, his latest movies, “Swallow” and “Citation” were exclusive to Netflix immediately after their premieres.
5. Funke Akindele Bello:
If Nollywood was a person, it would be Funke Akindele Bello. Known as a talented producer who works tirelessly and effectively, Funke Akindele is the first name on everybody’s lips when it comes to memorable comedy dramas in the Nollywood industry.
Popular for her role as Jenifa in “Jenifa’s Diary”, she has surely earned her right to be regarded as a top-class Nollywood actress, director, producer, and scriptwriter. Her blockbuster, “Omo Ghetto” currently holds the record of becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time in Nigeria, and it shattered the four-year record of Kemi Adetiba’s movie titled “The Wedding Party” in 2016.
The ever-reliable Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) said the film grossed N468,036,300 after maintaining its number one spot for 21 consecutive days. Combine this feat with her deal to license the movie to Netflix and you will see why Funke is a force to reckon with in the Nigerian movie industry.
6. Tchidi Chikere:
This is another name you must have heard before and he is surely the epitome of prolific when it comes to filmmaking in Nigeria. He was born on October 10, 1975, and he hails from Imo State in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria. Tchidi is a University of Calabar (UNICAL) graduate and he has released more than 100 movies since he began his Nollywood career. His list of popular movies includes:
B lood – (2003)
Stronger Than Pain – (2008)
Gold Not Silver – (2011)
Paint My Life/Tempest – (2012)
Dumebi – (2013)
Professor John Bull – (2017)
Pink Room – (2018).
7. Muyiwa Ademola:
This is another brilliant movie producer that you already know as an award-winning actor and director who gained instant popularity after he released a very thoughtful movie titled “Ori” many years ago. That very successful film won him several awards and it was even rated as the “Best Indigenous Film,” by Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2015.
Born on January 26, 1971, Muyiwa attended St David’s High School and then furthered his education at the University of Ibadan (UI). He actually began to act in 1991 even if he was yet popular, and he has since produced, featured and starred in several top Yoruba movies, including the ones he produced and directed. Some of his amazing works include “Ami Ayo”, “Alapadupe”, “Asise”, “Iranse Aje”, “Ile”, “Fimidara Ire” and so on.
