Popular Nigerian filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has opened up about the financial challenges he has faced while building and running his film village.
Afolayan made this known during a recent appearance on “Nidacity,” a podcast hosted by former Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun.
The award-winning filmmaker recalled that during the production of his movie “Anikulapo,” his crew struggled with accommodation and had to squat in people’s houses.
He explained that the experience prompted him to construct about 100 rooms at his film village to accommodate cast and crew members.
Afolayan disclosed that he has invested more than N8 billion of his personal funds in developing the film village but claimed that he has not received government support.
He also lamented the huge cost of providing electricity at the facility, revealing that he has spent millions of naira on diesel and about N200 million on solar power, which he said is still insufficient to power the entire village.
When we shot Anikulapo film, we didn’t have accommodation. We were squatting in people’s houses. I had to build 100 rooms in the film village.
“I’ve spent over N8 billion of my own money building a film village, yet I get no government support. We don’t even have electricity. I’ve spent millions on diesel and had to spend N200 million on solar, but even that isn’t enough,” he said.
Afolayan also hinted at the possibility of shutting down the film resort, describing the continued reliance on diesel as unsustainable.
According to him, he had considered closing the facility because of the cost of running it, before someone offered to supply diesel on credit.
He explained that the resort is now exploring green energy solutions, but the solar installation carried out last year at a cost of about N200 million cannot yet power the entire film village.
Afolayan said the facility has been funded largely with his personal resources and appealed to government agencies to provide support for the project.
He also expressed frustration that some individuals who, according to him, are doing less than what his film village offers have received government grants, while his facility has not benefited from similar assistance.
In March, Afolayan won praise after hosting Odunlade Adekola, Toyin Abraham, Mercy Aigbe, Timini, Kamo State, Bolaji Ogunmola, Yemi Solade, Ronke Oshodi, Kiitan Bukola and other creatives to a gathering at his film village.
The filmmaker explained that celebrating the creatives, particularly the younger members of the team, was important to him.
Last year, the “Anikulapo” filmmaker also commended Ekiti State Governor Seyi Makinde for fulfilling his promise to reconstruct the road leading to his film village.
Afolayan described the road as a corridor of possibilities that could create opportunities for filmmakers, farmers, young creatives and the wider local economy.
The filmmaker also unveiled a 115-seater cinema at the facility last year. He shared moments from the cinema with Seyi Vodi and others while celebrating the development and his contributions to the Nigerian film and entertainment industry.
Two years ago, Afolayan was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, commonly known as the Oscars voting academy, a year after one of his films was rejected.
Expressing gratitude for the invitation, the filmmaker described it as another opportunity for him to contribute to the industry.
That same year, Afolayan was among 50 Nigerians conferred with the Officer of the Order of Nigeria (OON) national honour. He expressed appreciation to the government for recognising his contributions.
Early last year, the filmmaker also lamented what he described as the high level of incompetence in Nigeria.
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