Nollywood actress and producer Bolaji Ogunmola has shared her perspective on the ongoing debate surrounding royalties for actors, urging performers to consider investing in films to secure a share of profits.
In a recent post on X, Ogunmola advised actors to adopt a back-end approach by negotiating a reduced upfront fee, or even no payment at all, in exchange for a percentage of the film’s earnings. She believes this model allows everyone involved to benefit from the hard work that goes into producing a movie.
“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.
Ogunmola also condemned piracy, calling on fans to avoid streaming Nigerian films on platforms such as Moviebox and Telegram. She stressed that piracy undermines actors’ earnings and the overall growth of the industry.
“You can’t want lifetime royalties for actors and still be watching their film on pirated platforms now! Please help us. Moviebox / Telegram is not the place to watch Nigerian content,” she added.
Her comments come in the wake of veteran actress Patience Ozokwor highlighting that many actors struggle financially because they receive only appearance fees, with no residual or back-end payments, unlike structured systems in international film industries.
Bolaji Ogunmola’s message underlines the importance of strategic investment, fair compensation, and audience support to ensure sustainable growth in Nollywood.
