Nollywood actor and producer Pere Egbi has spoken out about the challenges facing Nollywood and cinemas in Nigeria, revealing that he incurred losses exceeding ₦100 million due to these issues.
Pere shared his experience in response to a video by fellow actor Femi Branch, who criticized the unfavorable practices of cinemas in the country.
Femi Branch had earlier called out cinemas for prioritizing certain films over others, among other concerns affecting the industry.
Echoing these sentiments, Pere disclosed that he invested ₦150 million of his personal funds and borrowed an additional ₦11 million to produce one of his movies, The Silent Intruder. Despite the significant investment, he noted that the film only generated ₦53 million in cinemas, with his share being just over ₦8 million.
He attributed these losses to issues such as limited screen time for films and the practice of sidelining certain movies in favor of others.
In his statement, Pere said:
“Dear Femi Branch, I came across your video, and I want to thank you for addressing this pressing issue. Everything you said is the absolute truth. I had intended to hold off until January 2025 before taking action, but now I’m ready to join the fight.“Despite my efforts, The Silent Intruder is yet to appear on Netflix or Prime Video—just stories and excuses. I invested ₦150 million of my money and borrowed ₦11 million from a supporter, but till now, I haven’t been able to pay them back. The returns from cinemas were dismal.
“This is the harsh reality that new and independent producers like myself are forced to deal with. I’m still fighting to get my work recognized!”
Pere’s revelations highlight the struggles many filmmakers face in navigating the challenges of the Nigerian cinema landscape.