The Director of the Kaduna International Film Festival (KADIFF), Audu Israel, has identified inadequate funding, socio-religious restrictions, limited access to modern filmmaking equipment and insufficient government support as major obstacles to the growth of Northern Nigeria’s film industry.
Israel said the challenges had constrained filmmakers’ creative freedom, weakened their competitiveness and limited the international reach of productions from the region.
He made the remarks during a media engagement with journalists in Kaduna on Monday, where he called on the Federal Government to introduce stronger support systems for the creative industry and ensure that practitioners benefited from policies designed to promote its development.
According to him, Nigeria’s film industry relies heavily on private investment, unlike countries such as India, where government-backed structures have contributed to the growth of the film sector.
He argued that Nigeria needed a more practical approach to supporting filmmakers, including greater engagement between government officials and industry stakeholders.
“In other countries, the film industry is very instrumental to the government’s responsibility. That is why you see Bollywood has a structure; the government has a structure for them. But in Nigeria, it is not the same,” Israel said.
The KADIFF director acknowledged the efforts of the Minister of Art and Culture but maintained that many practitioners were yet to feel the impact of government interventions.
He urged the minister to engage directly with industry professionals, understand their challenges and develop measures that address their needs.
Israel also noted that professional associations had introduced initiatives, including partnerships with health insurance providers, to support practitioners, but said such efforts could not replace the government’s responsibility to the sector.
On the challenges facing filmmakers in Northern Nigeria, he said socio-religious considerations had restricted the subjects they could explore and the ways their productions could be promoted to wider audiences.
He argued that these limitations had contributed to the gap between Northern and Southern Nigeria’s film industries, particularly in creative expression and international visibility.
“The major reason why the South is more advanced in the film industry is because they can freely and openly expose their art to the world. But here in the North, there are limitations to what you can do,” he said.
Israel added that limited funding, inadequate professional exposure and poor access to modern production equipment had made it difficult for Hausa-language films to compete in the international market.
He observed that many Northern productions remained largely targeted at local audiences, with limited representation on international streaming platforms such as Netflix.
According to him, meeting the technical requirements of global distributors remains a challenge for filmmakers who cannot afford the cameras and other equipment needed to meet international production standards.
The festival director called for increased investment in filmmaking facilities, professional training and stronger protection of intellectual property rights to improve the industry’s sustainability.
He also argued that films exploring insecurity and other social challenges should be recognised as tools for raising awareness and encouraging public discussion, rather than being subjected to unnecessary restrictions.
Israel urged the Federal Government, private investors, financial institutions, telecommunications companies and technology firms to increase their investment in the creative sector, citing its potential to generate employment and contribute to economic growth.
He said KADIFF would continue to provide a platform for filmmakers to connect with investors, policymakers and cultural institutions, with the aim of strengthening the film industry in Kaduna State and across Northern Nigeria.
