Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde highlights Nollywood royalty gap

Veteran Nigerian actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has highlighted a significant disparity in compensation structures between Nollywood and Hollywood, specifically regarding residuals and royalties.

Despite having worked in Nollywood for 30 years on more than 300 productions, Jalade-Ekeinde stated she has never received royalty payments from the Nigerian film industry. In contrast, she reported receiving regular residual payments from her five years of work in Hollywood, even from limited test projects. She shared documentation from SAG-AFTRA to illustrate these ongoing payments.

The actress has long advocated for royalty clauses in Nigerian contracts, noting that she has previously refused roles that did not include them. The issue remains a point of contention as Nollywood expands across streaming and television platforms. Mahmood Balogun, chairman of the Audio Visual Rights Society of Nigeria, noted that residual collection in Nigeria is still developing and that payments are largely dependent on membership within the organization.