Reproducing inequality in the Nigerian cinema industry: Nollywood’s regime of inequality and the potential for change

Adebayo, Oluwatumininu, & Scriver, Stacey. (2026). Reproducing inequality in the Nigerian cinema industry: Nollywood’s regime of inequality and the potential for change. Journal of Gender Studies, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2026.2647408

Abstract

Nollywood, Nigeria’s prolific and rapidly evolving film industry, is financed through a combination of private and corporate investment. The industry is also shaped by numerous professional guilds, which regulate labour and advocate for practitioners’ rights. This study focuses on two of the most prominent guilds, the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), to examine how they address discrimination, harassment, and gender disparities affecting women. It situates these practices within the framework of Nigeria’s National Gender Policy (NGP), which promotes self-regulated gender equity in media. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 11 female film professionals, a key informant interview with a guild president, and an analysis of guild initiatives and policy responses, the study investigates intersectional gender inequality in Nollywood. Findings indicate that while guilds recognise their role in mitigating gender disparities, interventions remain limited. Women continue to face sexual harassment, exploitation, and pay inequities. Using Acker’s concept of inequality regimes, the article therefore demonstrates how Nollywood’s structures and practices resist change and reproduce systemic inequalities. Finally, the study identifies opportunities to challenge entrenched gendered hierarchies and advance more equitable practices in the industry.

Publisher

Taylor and Francis Group
Routledge

Rights

CC BY

cb

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