Netflix has firmly denied rumors suggesting that it is withdrawing from the Nigerian market, despite reports from several publications claiming the streaming giant is retreating from the country.
The company emphasized that it remains committed to investing in Nigerian content.
The speculation began following comments from Nigerian filmmaker Kunle Afolayan at the 2024 Zuma International Film Festival.
Afolayan stated that Netflix had canceled several films it had previously commissioned, fueling concerns about the company’s future in Nigeria.
Afolayan reflected on the initial excitement when Netflix signed a three-film deal with him three years ago, but noted that despite the international success of the films, Netflix appeared dissatisfied with their performance in Nigeria.
“Thank God we had already filmed seasons two and three of ‘Anikulapo’ because the other filmmakers we worked with at the same time had their projects canceled,” Afolayan said, though he did not explicitly state that Netflix was pulling out of the Nigerian market.
His remarks, however, raised questions about the streaming platform’s commitment to the country.
This uncertainty is heightened by the recent exit of Amazon Prime from Nigeria in January 2024, which followed a large-scale marketing campaign and a lineup of Nigerian originals.
Despite this, Netflix has reassured its audience in Nigeria that it is not leaving. In a statement to TechCabal on Wednesday, a Netflix spokesperson said, “We are not exiting Nigeria. We will continue to invest in Nigerian stories to delight our audience.”
While the statement did not directly address Afolayan’s claims regarding canceled projects, it aimed to dispel any fears about the company’s departure from Nigeria.
The conversation around Netflix’s future in Nigeria has intensified, especially with the country’s rising inflation and devaluation of the naira, which have strained consumer spending.
