by Thinus Ferreira
Netflix denies that it plans to or has dumped Nigeria in terms of local content spending after recently telling Nigerian filmmakers at a "last supper" event that it is pulling out, saying the video streaming service remains committed to producing more shows and films from the West African country.
Meanwhile, David Karanja, Netflix Africa's manager for licensing originals, is exiting the streamer.
David Karanja's exit comes as the Nigerian filmmaker Kunle Afolayan caused controversy and bewilderment when he and another panellist at the 2024 Zuma Film Festival mentioned that the red letter streamer had stopped commissioning further Netflix Originals from Nigeria.
Kunle Afolayan said that Netflix greenlit a third season of his Aníkúlápó series after which it allegedly axed further commissioning of more Nigerian content for Netflix, eight years after the video streamer launched in Africa.
"Coming to Netflix, I've tried to really avoid this because it's really heartbreaking. It's a big blow on us," he said on stage.
"When we signed the three-film deal with Netflix three years ago, it was a moment of great excitement," Kunle Afolayan said at the festival.
"Thank God we had shot seasons two and three of Aníkúlápó because all the other people that were commissioned with us at the same time were cancelled. Their projects were cancelled."
Victor Okhai, president of the Directors Guild of Nigeria, who was also a panellist at the film festival, said on stage that a few weeks ago Netflix invited Nigerian producers to a party which looked like "a last supper".
The event he was referring to was Netflix's "Lights, Camera ... Naija!" event which took place again in November in Nigeria, with Netflix that didn't communicate anything of what was said or happened there to the larger media contingent across the African continent.
"Netflix came to serve a last supper here a couple of weeks ago," Victor Ohai said.
"They invited our filmmakers to a party and before that told them 'we are pulling out, we are not doing business with you anymore'. So it was what you might call a fitting last supper."
The comments of Kunle Afolayan and Victor Ohai fuelled speculation that Netflix is done with Nigeria, similar to how Amazon MGM Studios and Amazon Prime Video in March abruptly decided to stop all content spending in sub-Saharan Africa and got rid of its entire African content executive team for Nigeria and South Africa.
From 2016 through 2023 Netflix, according to its Africa impact report, has invested R3.16 billion ($175 million) in producing localised African content content in its three key markets of South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria combined.
In Nigeria, where Netflix is primarily competing with MultiChoice's DStv and its Showmax streamer, Netflix has already invested R415 million ($23 million) since 2016 to create over 250 new local titles in the form of Netflix Originals from Nigeria, including co-productions and films.
"We are not exiting Nigeria," Netflix Africa told TVwithThinus in response to a media query. "We will continue to invest in Nigerian stories to delight our members".
On 29 November Netflix added Sisi London, with 7 Doors from Femi Adebayo launching on Netflix on 13 December.
An insider noted that Netflix Africa is excited about the journey the streaming service has made in Nigeria when it comes to its films and series and continues to focus on further improving and building out the volume and quality of its Nigerian content slate.
Struggling Nigerian consumers and content companies continue to battle the country's runaway inflation and severe naira currency devaluation, making it difficult for consumers to afford luxury services like video streaming and for companies to make enough revenue.
MultiChoice last month singled out Nigeria and Zambia as the two African nations that severely negatively impacted its half-year results due to worsening economic environments for both consumers and operators.
Exiting Netflix's Africa division is David Karanja just over three years after he joined Netflix in September 2021 in the Netherlands as part of the team.
Over the past three years, he oversaw the development of over 35 new series and films for the platform ranging from Netflix's first Afrikaans show and drama series Ludik in South Africa, to Shanty Town, Country Queen and Kunle Afolayan's Aníkúlápó.
