Patience Ozokwor, the 67-year-old Nollywood actress known for her commanding villain roles, has revealed the financial hardship many veteran actors face due to the absence of royalty payments in the Nigerian film industry. She explained that performers are paid only once at the point of filming, with no ongoing compensation when their work is reused or redistributed. Speaking with Isbae U., Ozokwor contrasted Nollywood's model with film industries in developed nations, where actors earn residual income from their projects indefinitely. "Go and look at the smallest actors in developed countries. Every work they do fetch them money everyday of their lives. Even when they are gone, their families still live on that," she said. The actress noted this lack of long-term income is pushing many actors to shift focus to platforms like YouTube in search of sustainable earnings.
Patience Ozokwor's revelation exposes a broken financial model in Nollywood that treats acting as a one-time transaction rather than a lasting intellectual property. The fact that even iconic performers receive no residuals means fame offers no financial security for most veterans. This system ensures that only those who diversify survive, leaving legacy artists economically vulnerable. Without structural change, Nollywood will keep undervaluing the very people who built it.
