Abuja Film Industry Stagnates as Funding, Infrastructure Deficits Hamper Growth

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Abuja’s ambition to emerge as a major filmmaking hub is being undermined by inadequate infrastructure, opaque funding arrangements, a shortage of skilled technical personnel and weak distribution networks, Chairman of Fedmas Studios, Sam Idiagbonya, has warned.
Idiagbonya said the Federal Capital Territory possessed the environment and creative talent to build a competitive film industry but lacked the institutional support, technical capacity and commercial structures required to translate its potential into sustainable growth.
He called for improved production facilities, transparent access to government funding, professional training and stronger collaboration among filmmakers, arguing that the industry could not thrive if practitioners were left to navigate its structural challenges individually.
Speaking on the difficulties confronting filmmakers in Abuja, Idiagbonya said the city offered a relatively conducive environment for production but needed greater exposure and platforms through which local talents could showcase their work to wider audiences.
“Abuja offers a good environment for filmmaking, but we need the infrastructure, the training and the freedom to create,” he said.
The filmmaker identified Lagos as Nigeria’s dominant commercial filmmaking centre because of its established distribution networks, marketers and access to industry opportunities, but maintained that Abuja-based practitioners should not limit their ambitions to local audiences.
“My market is the world. Earth is my market,” he said, urging filmmakers to develop stories with universal appeal and explore opportunities beyond their immediate geographical markets.
He argued that the future of Abuja’s film industry would depend partly on the ability of practitioners to produce compelling content and establish distribution channels capable of connecting their work with audiences across Nigeria and internationally.
Beyond infrastructure, Idiagbonya raised concerns about the implementation of government funding initiatives for the creative sector, insisting that announcements of financial support must be accompanied by clear guidelines on access, eligibility and disbursement.
“If you tell creatives that there is a fund, they need to know the mechanism, the criteria, the timeline and who has benefited,” he said.
He explained that filmmaking involved substantial expenditure on equipment, personnel and post-production, adding that uncertainty surrounding funding arrangements could make it difficult for practitioners to plan and execute projects.
According to him, transparent procedures would enable filmmakers to understand available opportunities, prepare viable proposals and determine how financial support could help them improve production quality.
Idiagbonya also identified the shortage of trained technical professionals as a major concern, particularly in cinematography, lighting, sound and production design.
He cautioned against equating the ability to operate a camera with professional competence in cinematography, stressing that filmmaking required specialised technical knowledge, practical experience and continuous training.
He said investment in technical skills was essential to improving the quality of productions and enabling Abuja filmmakers to compete more effectively in an increasingly demanding market.
The Fedmas Studios chairman further called for a change in the industry’s professional culture, urging practitioners to embrace collaboration instead of allowing rivalry, disagreements and disputes over ownership to frustrate creative projects.
“The future of creativity is collaboration. You cannot do this alone,” he said.
He encouraged filmmakers to subject their scripts and ideas to constructive criticism and combine their resources, knowledge and expertise to strengthen productions.
On the commercial side, Idiagbonya identified high production and marketing costs, delayed payments and the distance between some cinema locations and residential communities as factors affecting the profitability of films.
He said the challenges required filmmakers to think beyond conventional cinema releases and develop distribution strategies suited to the changing habits of audiences.
Digital platforms, including YouTube, he noted, offered opportunities to reach international viewers, although success required an understanding of online monetisation and effective marketing.
“Today, you may be on YouTube. Tomorrow, you may be in the cinema. The next day, you may be on Netflix or working with an international platform,” he said.
He urged filmmakers to adopt flexible distribution models that would allow them to exploit different platforms as opportunities emerged, rather than depend exclusively on one channel for commercial returns.
Idiagbonya also called on governments to broaden support for the film industry beyond established creative centres, arguing that talent development and access to opportunities should extend to filmmakers across the country.
He advocated the establishment of a stronger national film festival that would bring Nigerian and international practitioners together for screenings, competitions, training and professional networking.
Such a platform, he said, would give emerging filmmakers greater visibility, encourage the exchange of ideas and create opportunities for partnerships that could improve the industry’s prospects.
He urged aspiring filmmakers to remain committed to developing their craft, building professional relationships and exploring different distribution channels despite the financial and structural obstacles confronting the sector.
For Abuja’s film industry, his argument is that creative talent alone cannot guarantee growth: sustained investment, professional expertise, transparent funding and access to markets are also necessary to turn the capital’s filmmaking potential into a viable industry.