AI Is Entering Nollywood. How Much Should It Change Nigerian Filmmaking?

You may not have noticed it, but AI is already becoming part of Nigerian filmmaking. It is showing up in scripts, visual effects, editing, marketing and, increasingly, entire film productions. In 2025, Makemation became one of the most visible examples of this shift, using generative AI at different stages of its production.

As more filmmakers experiment with the technology, the conversation is moving past what AI can do. It is also about what happens when a technology trained largely on existing data becomes involved in creating stories about Nigerian people and culture.

I spoke to four Nigerian filmgoers, Ifeoluwa, Hamidat, Godwin and Rotimi, about AI's growing role in filmmaking. They were generally open to the technology, but their responses revealed a more complicated concern. AI may change how quickly and cheaply films can be made, but who controls the creative decisions could determine what Nigerian films look and feel like in the future.

West Africa Recruitment Scams: How to Spot Fake Jobs

Fake recruiters are becoming harder to spot as fraudsters use trusted brands and social media to target job seekers across West Africa.

TechloyTreasure Ayanfe Adetula

AI Could Make Nollywood's Production Process Faster

Rotimi sees the practical appeal of AI. He believes it could help filmmakers move faster, reduce effort and potentially lower some production costs. “It’s a double-edged sword,” Rotimi said. “It’s good. You get to do more with less time, with less effort, but you may derail from the original lesson if you do not get to check AI well.”

Hamidat also sees a place for AI, particularly when filmmakers are developing ideas or experimenting with visual effects. Her concern starts when the technology moves from helping with the work to making creative decisions on its own.

“If they want to use AI, they should not fully depend on AI in terms of script writing,” she said. “AI lacks human touch.”

AI's role in filmmaking goes well beyond generating images or writing ideas. DLA Piper Africa notes that AI can be used across almost every stage of filmmaking, including script development, visual effects, editing, marketing and distribution. Its research also identifies concerns around creativity, originality, transparency and job displacement.