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Top 10 Largest Movie Industries in Africa 2023

This article talk about some of the top largest movie industries in Africa and how big the industry have grown over the year with significant growth

Published

2 years ago

April 17, 2023

Oluwafemi Afolayan

Top 10 Largest Movie Industries in Africa 2023 - RNN

The African movie industry has moved from what it was known as before, the continent that is home to approximately 1.5 billion people with a lot of great acting talents as well as movie makers and directors, the evolution of the continents movies industry will bring us to discuss some of the largest movie industries in Africa in 2023.

Meanwhile, Africans have shifted from consuming only foreign movies, the continent has invested in its own movie industry dishing out thousands of movies annually, making movies that resonate with local viewers and international standards. Additionally, Africa has come to embrace their movie industries producing movies that celebrate African cultures and the everyday life of African society while providing quality entertainment.

1. Nigeria – Nollywood

largest film industries in Africa 2023

Nigeria excel in so many things in Africa, and it comes first in most cases, this shows why they are reputedly called the giant of the continent of Africa. Nollywood serves as the movie industry of Nigeria, producing between 1500-2500 movies every year, Nollywood is the largest movie industry in Africa. Also, however, you want to put it, Nigeria’s entertainment industry has been atop, leading the African continent and one of the best and largest industries in the whole world, Nigeria has been able to navigate and forge a better path for the way African music, movies, and arts are being viewed.

Meanwhile, in recent years Nollywood evolved from producing B-rated movies to A-rated movies that have really generated and spike the income generated by the movie industry, also, it is reported the industry makes an estimated annual revenue of $1.2 billion, making it one of the most prolific film industries in the world as well as being the second fastest growing movie industry in the world and also the second largest movie industry in the world with a worth of almost $10 billion. Furthermore, in 2022 Nollywood made approximately N6.94 billion in revenue as “Battle on Buka Street” became the highest-grossing of the year and all time.

2. South Africa – Sollywood

No will be complete without putting Sollywood which is the name of the South African movie house. The South African movie industry is absolutely one of the best on the continent, in terms of production, funding, and producing high-quality movies they are atop. Well, unlike other movie industries in Africa on this list, the South African movie industry makes one of the smallest movies in number in Africa yearly, with a total of 104 locally produced movies.

Additionally, Sollywood produces breathtaking Sci-fi and other great movies that tell the African story in a unique way. When it comes to technology and innovative ways of producing movies, South Africa stands out, even among the European countries. Also, the first South African film that achieved international recognition and paved the way for the movie industry to an attraction even for international funding was the 1980 comedy “the gods must be crazy”

3. Ghana – Ghallywood

biggest film industries in Africa by revenue (2023)

Ghallywood as the Ghana movie industry is popularly called is the third largest movie industry in Africa. Ghana being another big movie industry in Africa is phenomenal making hundreds of movies annually, the Ghallywood has been revolutionized from what it used to be when it was first founded in the 50s and what it has come to be after the big change in the 80s.

Ghana’s movie industry is undoubted, one of the best in Africa as well as one of the largest. According to findings, Ghallywood makes over $1 million dollars as revenue from various movies it produces yearly. In collaboration, it has done many works with its Nigerian counterpart, Nollywood, on various movies, while, many actors and actresses have also featured in the productions works of each other.

4. Kenya – Riverwood

The Kenyan film industry is called Riverwood, taken from River Road. Although, Riverwood may not be quite big as other movie industries on this list but have its growth has been steady and it has produced some of the best movies that the African continent has made. It also, produces about 500 movies annually, that appeal to local viewers and also attract international audiences.

Meanwhile, since inceptions of the cinema with movies like “Men Against the Sun” which was filmed in 1952, “Wanuri Kahiu’s Rafiki” and many others. Additionally, according to Statista, Kenya’s movie industry revenue is expected to grow from $4.9 million dollars which it was back in 2018 to $6.4 million dollars in 2023.

5. Tanzania – Swahiliwood

Tanzania’s movie industry has actually shifted from what they are known for as a government-run film industry with films that focus solely on producing instructional or educational purposes films. In recent times, the Tanzanian movie industry which is known as Swahiliwood or Bongo movie and Bongowood which was established around 2001, has drifted from producing only documentaries.

Meanwhile, some of the movies produced are still low-quality movies but great movies, especially since Netflix acquired its first Tanzanian film Binti, a compelling drama that explores womanhood in Tanzania, Swahiliwood was launched on a world stage.

6. Uganda – Ugawood

Ugawood or Kinauganda is among the largest movie industries in Africa, although not like Nigeria, South Africa, or Ghana’s counterparts, Uganda’s movies industry has also experienced a lot of changes and growth, from where viewers go to video halls to watch new movies where they will meet a narrator called Video Joker translate the dialogue and add their commentary to producing some of the best movies the world has known such as, “Who Killed Captain Alex? (2015)”, “The Girl in the Yellow Jumper (2020)”, “27 Guns (2018)”. The Ugandan film industry is estimated to generate about $50 million per year while making about 200 movies yearly.

7. Tunisia

largest movie industries in Africa 2023

Tunisia’s movie industry is one of the biggest in the North African region or the biggest, producing more than 180 movies annually, while it makes about $1 million dollars in revenue each year, it has garnered a huge following, especially in Nothern African where the country is located.

Though the film industry is not quite big because Tunisia’s film industry collapsed in the early 90s, after Ben Ali’s decision to transfer the ownership of the National ‘Tunisian Society for Film Production and Expansion’ to a private monopoly according to – Fanack. Just in recent times, the evolution of the movies sector has been revitalized with the 2008 La Graine et le Mulet and many others like “Un divan à Tunis (2020)”, and “The Man Who Sold His Skin (2021)”.

8. Cameroon – Collywood

There is no doubt Collywood belongs on this list with winning three awards at the Ecran Noir Festival, including the Ecran D’or in the 2023 movies award, Cameroon movie industry has cemented its place as one of the largest movie industries in Africa. Collywood is fast becoming a major force in the African movie scene, with movies such as “Tears of the Sun”, “Price of Liberty”, and “A Man for The Weekend” among several others.

9. Egypt

Egypt is a home of art and rich culture, music, and entertainment has also evolved from its previous ways of making movies. The struggle has been to retain audiences that were embedded in a war between the state law of perceived morality which in turn has kept filmmakers tweaking and changing. Some filmmakers however managed to bridge this gap, delivering films with high artistic quality and mass appeal.

Additionally, the Egyptian film industry reportedly made $72 million from producing 33 movies. Meanwhile, some of the most popular and successful Egyptian movies include, Sahar el Layali (Sleepless Nights) in 2003, Imarat Yacoubian (The Yacoubian Building) in 2006, Asmaa in 2011, and many more others.

10. Namibia

Namibia-Kapana - Largest Movie Industries in Africa

best film industries in Africa

Lastly, the Namibia movie industry is the tenth on this list, although, the Namibian film industry has grown considerably in recent years, however, filmmakers still experience various challenges, which range from funding to collaborations and good marketing. Meanwhile, Namibia has been producing quality films that are locally produced in recent times, one of which is “The White Line” which was produced in 2019 and was accepted as Namibia’s entry into the 2022 Oscars Academy Awards.

The country is one of the smallest countries in Africa but they have a quota they added to the development and growth of the movie industry of the African continent and it is believed that even in years to come it will still create more exciting movies.