• YouTube hosts first TV/Film Day with Nigerian creatives in Lagos
• Event explores connected TV, global reach of Nollywood content
• Over 70% of Nigerian YouTube views come from abroad

Major broadcasters, including the U.K.'s Channel Four, met with a group of Nigerian creatives at the first-ever YouTube TV/Film Day, held at Google’s offices in Lagos. The event was organized to discuss the future of the country's fast-changing audiovisual landscape and the growing adoption of connected TV, as participants sought to better understand the booming Nigerian market.

YouTube has been strengthening its ties with local creators through initiatives such as YouTube for FilmMakers in 2024, as well as the Celebration of Nollywood and the YouTube Black Voices Fund in 2023. These efforts aim to help creators reach audiences beyond their borders.

According to Tarek Amin, YouTube's Director for Africa, the platform is breaking down traditional barriers by allowing producers to bypass conventional systems and reach a global audience directly, with content created in Lagos now being viewed in living rooms in London or New York.

YouTube representatives say more than 70% of views for content produced in Nigeria come from outside the country.

"As filmmakers, the screen no longer means only the cinema or television set. For many Nigerians," said Bolaji Ogunmola, a Nollywood producer.

The event concluded with a large discussion on potential partnerships, focusing on strategies to increase content monetization and give greater visibility to Nigerian culture through audiovisual content.

Servan Ahougnon