Nigeria’s film industry, Nollywood, is a global powerhouse in volume but faces daunting challenges in distribution.
With just about 103 functioning cinemas serving more than 200 million people, most Nigerians cannot easily access new films on the big screen.
The situation is worsened by high cinema ticket prices and rampant piracy.
Even online streaming, which promised a solution, is constrained by costly data, patchy internet infrastructure, low purchasing power, and region‑based restrictions that lock many viewers out.
In response, Nigerian film producers are turning to YouTube, transforming it into a vast digital warehouse for their intellectual and creative property.
The platform bypasses the barriers of geography and income, allowing films to reach both rural audiences at home and the Nigerian diaspora abroad. It also offers creators a measure of protection against piracy while generating revenue through ads and channel memberships.
This article spotlights some of the largest producer‑owned YouTube channels in Nigeria, examining their subscriber growth, longevity in the market, the volume of creative works they’ve released, and channel views.
- Subscriber no: 2.99 million
- Channel Views: 660 million
Uchenna Mbunabo TV is one of Nollywood’s most influential digital platforms, a reflection of its founder’s decades‑long commitment to Nigerian cinema. Created on April 10, 2013, the channel has soared to 2.99 million subscribers, with 205 videos amassing over 660 million views, securing its place among the top Nollywood YouTube channels.
The brain behind the platform, Uchenna Mbunabo, is a veteran producer, scriptwriter, and CEO of One & Two Film Production. He has produced more than 100 films since his breakout hit My Everlasting Love in 2007.
He studied at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, earned a Master’s from the University of Ibadan, and trained further at the New York Film Academy, blending academic rigor with creative ambition.
Mbunabo is renowned for cross‑border collaborations, among the first Nigerian producers to integrate Ghanaian stars like Jackie Appiah and Majid Michel into Nollywood projects, expanding the industry’s Pan‑African appeal. Films like Celebrity Marriage (2017) established his standing. He has also been outspoken about regional trade and production challenges, notably calling out practices in Ghana that threatened Nollywood’s growth.
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