Nigerian filmmaker and actor Kunle Afolayan has linked the growing rush by local filmmakers to release movies on YouTube to the value of the US dollar against the naira, arguing that foreign-currency earnings have made the video-sharing platform increasingly attractive to content producers.
Afolayan, speaking in a recent interview, said the exchange rate has created a strong financial incentive for filmmakers whose productions attract large audiences online.
With the dollar trading at about ₦1,400, in the example he cited, he estimated that a movie generating one million views could potentially earn around $10,000, although actual YouTube revenue depends on several factors.
At that estimate, $10,000 would translate to about ₦14 million at an exchange rate of ₦1,400 to the dollar.
Afolayan’s argument suggests that the naira value of dollar-denominated earnings is helping to make YouTube an appealing distribution channel for Nigerian filmmakers seeking returns from their productions.
The filmmaker maintained that the attraction could change considerably if the naira strengthened significantly against the dollar. He used a hypothetical exchange rate of ₦200 to $1 to illustrate his point, saying filmmakers would become less enthusiastic about releasing their productions on YouTube if the naira value of their dollar earnings declined sharply.
His comments draw attention to the changing economics of film distribution in Nigeria, where producers have several options for getting their work in front of audiences. YouTube allows filmmakers to publish directly to viewers while potentially generating advertising revenue from the audiences their content attracts.
Afolayan has previously spoken publicly about the commercial realities of Nigeria’s film industry and the importance of examining what filmmakers actually earn from their productions rather than focusing solely on headline figures associated with a movie’s performance.
Earlier in 2026, he attracted attention after criticising aspects of movie promotion by some Nigerian filmmakers, including Toyin Abraham and Funke Akindele. He questioned promotional strategies that involve actors and producers using dances and other social media activities to drive awareness for cinema releases.
The filmmaker also argued that impressive cinema revenues do not necessarily translate into equally impressive returns for the people behind a production. He said he would not be interested in celebrating a film that generated between ₦1 billion and ₦2 billion at the cinema if his personal return from the project did not reach at least ₦10 million.
