Nigerian film veteran Steph‑Nora Okere urges unity to build Abuja hub

Veteran Nollywood actress and filmmaker Steph‑Nora Okere said Abuja’s film sector lacks the cohesion needed to become a thriving hub like Lagos. She urged the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Directors Guild of Nigeria, Association of Movie Producers and other bodies to create a common platform for dialogue, regular meetings and strategic planning, noting that proximity to national authorities could help attract support. “We have actors, but we don’t really have an industry,” she said.

Award‑winning director Biodun Stephen explained that her continued work in film is driven by storytelling rather than YouTube‑derived money. While acknowledging a past surge of actors turning producers for YouTube revenue, she emphasized, “I tell stories because I think I can change lives,” as her core motivation.