Actress and producer Bolaji Ogunmola has joined the ongoing conversation about royalties and residuals for actors in Nigeria’s film industry.
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The actress shared her views in a recent post on X, arguing that actors who want to continue earning from films long after production should be willing to invest in those projects from the start.
According to Ogunmola, the best way for actors to receive royalties is by adopting a back-end payment model.
In film production, back-end payment means that an actor accepts a smaller fee, or sometimes no upfront payment at all, in exchange for a percentage of the profits the movie eventually makes.
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She explained that actors who want to benefit from the long-term success of a movie should be prepared to take financial risks alongside producers.
“If you want royalties, back end. Put your money in the film. Negotiate a slashed fee or nothing at all for a percentage. Put body joor. Let’s all enjoy the benefit of the hard labour,” she wrote.
Her statement comes amid growing debate in Nollywood about whether actors deserve residual payments after films continue to generate income on television, cinemas, and streaming platforms.
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Many actors have argued that the current structure in Nollywood is unfair because performers are often paid only once, regardless of how successful the film becomes.
Unlike more developed film industries such as Hollywood, where actors may continue to earn royalties each time a movie is shown, many Nigerian actors receive only their initial appearance fee.
Once filming ends and they have been paid, they no longer benefit financially even if the movie becomes a major success.
Ogunmola, however, believes there is another way for actors to secure future earnings.
According to her, actors should not expect lifetime royalties if they were not involved financially in making the movie.
She suggested that performers who strongly desire residual payments should partner with producers by contributing funds, helping to market the project, or agreeing to lower fees in return for a percentage of future revenue.
Her position has generated mixed reactions online.
While some social media users agreed with her argument, others insisted that actors should still be entitled to royalties because their performances are a major part of what makes a film successful.
Supporters of Ogunmola’s view argued that filmmaking is a business and that those who take the biggest financial risks deserve the largest share of the profits.
They pointed out that producers often invest millions of naira into a movie and may still lose money if the project fails.
For this reason, they believe actors who want a share of future earnings should also be willing to share in the risks.
Others, however, argued that Nollywood needs stronger structures and contracts that protect actors.
They noted that actors help to drive audience interest and often contribute significantly to the success of a film.
According to them, performers should not be excluded from long-term profits simply because they did not provide funding.
Beyond the issue of royalties, Ogunmola also raised concerns about piracy, which she described as one of the biggest threats facing the Nigerian film industry.
The actress appealed to fans and viewers to stop watching Nigerian films on illegal platforms such as Moviebox and Telegram.
According to her, piracy reduces the amount of money filmmakers, actors and other members of the industry are able to earn.
“You can’t want lifetime royalties for actors and still be watching their film on pirated platforms now. Ejoor now. Please… help us. Moviebox and Telegram are not the place to watch Nigerian content. Help us,” she wrote.
Her comments reflect a problem that has continued to affect Nollywood for years.
Many Nigerian films are uploaded illegally to websites and messaging platforms shortly after they are released.
As a result, producers and distributors often struggle to recover the money spent on making the films.
Industry stakeholders have repeatedly warned that piracy discourages investment and limits the growth of Nollywood.
Ogunmola’s statement follows recent comments by veteran actress Patience Ozokwor, who lamented that many actors end up begging online because they do not receive royalties after working on films.
Ozokwor explained that most actors in Nollywood are paid only for the days they spend on set.
After production is completed, they receive nothing more, even when the film continues to generate revenue.
She compared the situation to more organised film industries abroad, where actors may continue to earn from reruns, streaming deals, and future distribution.
The conversation sparked by Ozokwor and Ogunmola has reignited calls for better structures in Nollywood.
Many industry observers believe the future may lie in a combination of both approaches: actors investing more in projects while producers also create fairer agreements that allow performers to benefit from the continued success of their work.
For now, however, the debate over royalties in Nollywood remains far from settled.
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