Nigerian director Kunle Afolayan poses during a portrait session at the premiere of the film Recall directed by Kunle Afolayan in Lagos on November 7, 2024. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)
Nigerian filmmaker and entrepreneur Kunle Afolayan has raised concerns over the rising cost of diesel, revealing that the expense of powering his businesses has become increasingly difficult to manage.
In a video shared on Instagram, the award-winning director disclosed that operations at his KAP Film Village and Resort consume about N11 million worth of diesel every four to five weeks, despite the facility already using solar power.
Afolayan described the situation as distressing, noting that the price of diesel has risen sharply to around N1,500 per litre, significantly increasing operational costs.
“I’ve been sad because I can’t cope with the N1,500 per litre of diesel. In one of the businesses that we run, the KAP Village, we spend about N11m in four or five weeks on diesel. And we have solar power, but we’re still spending about N11m,” he said.
According to him, the financial strain has forced the business to purchase diesel on credit, with repayment sometimes taking up to two months before another supply can be secured.
“The diesel we’ve been buying, we’ve been buying on credit. When we make small money, we find a way to pay. Sometimes it takes two months to even pay it down before getting another one on credit,” he explained.
Afolayan added that the rising fuel cost, from about N995 or N1,000 per litre previously to around N1,500, has made the situation increasingly unsustainable for his operations.
The filmmaker said he is now considering taking a loan to expand the facility’s solar infrastructure in order to reduce dependence on diesel-powered generators.
His appeal for support comes amid continued increases in fuel prices across Nigeria. Recently, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery reportedly raised the price of diesel to about N1,620 per litre, further intensifying cost pressures for businesses reliant on fuel for power supply.
“If you can come to our aid, I’ll really appreciate it,” Afolayan said while seeking support to upgrade the resort’s renewable energy system.
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