A memo from Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) says Nigeria Film Production will Excel in 2020.
The agency is accountable to the Nigerian film industry in a lot of ways.
It is a strategic developmental agency of government for the film industry.
This decade calls for walking the talk. Thus, in the course of the year, rest assured to remind the agency on its statutory functions as promised and captured in this piece.
According to the Managing Director of NFC, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, “there are high projections for a better film production outing for Nigeria in year 2020, just as the Nigerian Film Corporation is set to expand and strengthen its operations through robust partnerships and collaborations with capabilities of engendering the accelerated growth of the industry.”
He said in an official statement issued in Jos, Plateau State, on Thursday January 2, 2020.
According to Maduekwe, the year 2019 was challenging in terms of the ratings for our film industry, when benchmarked against expectations and projections.
Good point.
Maduekwe was however quick to add that there was no need to despair because indications are that the Nigerian film industry in 2020 will fare better than it did in the out gone year. The film industry he maintained will continue to provide millions of job opportunities to Nigerians, including wealth creation.
According to the statement signed by Brian Etuk, NFC’s spokesperson, Maduekwe is very optimistic that with the various expansions in the film production value chain, especially the explosion of digital platforms, there was bound to be increase in the number and volume of investments.
Maduekwe said that the NFC has mapped out various strategies to tackle the various challenges and impediments to the growth of the film industry in 2020 and beyond.
This, according to the agency, includes robust NFC – industry stakeholders’ engagement which is intended to secure their commitment to achieve the needed successes within the shortest possible time. NFC is said to be committed to bringing all stakeholders on board, “so that the needed synergy required in leapfrogging the industry, from its present state through President Mohammadu BUHARI led government support under the auspices of NFC programmes can be achieved seamlessly”.
Other areas, as indicated in the statement, include the provision of training and retraining opportunities for filmmakers. This, according to Maduekwe, will be achieved through increase in professional and entrepreneurial training and capacity building programmes across the country, some of which will be undertaken in collaboration with industry stakeholders, State Governments, Members of the National Assembly and International Partners.
Also, “we will deploy the vast resources of the National Film Institute across the nation to train as many young Nigerians in film production.”
On the foreign scene, the NFC intends to accelerate the signing of many outstanding co-production agreements as possible, beginning with that between Nigeria and France, taking place in Paris within the week of 13th -17th January 2020.
“Efforts are on to re-engage with South Africa, China, Germany as well as our Moroccan counterparts to fast track the signing of film co-production agreements between both countries which will go a long way to signposting the Nigerian film industry as a veritable investment sector,’ he said, adding that, “we have developed through the kind approval of the Hon. Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammad a robust strategy that will support some select Nigerian film and stakeholders’ participation in specialized international film festivals and markets”.
The NFC boss said, consultations are on with foreign embassies in Nigeria as well as Nigerian missions abroad to also ensure reciprocal participation and attendance of foreign filmmakers at local Nigerian film festivals and other related activities in Nigeria
