Teniola Aladese laments over payment disparity in Nollywood

Nollywood actress Teniola Aladese, has spoken up on the need for open discussions about pay in the Nigerian film industry.

While speaking on the ‘ThatsWhatSheSaidVodcast’, Teniola revealed that so many actors get underpaid for movie roles in the Nollywood industry. She recalled an experience that served as an eye opener over the significant disparity in earnings.

“I remember a conversation with Timini on the set of Love in a Pandemic. He might not even recall it. But he was talking about a project he’d been approached for and mentioned the amount offered. At that time, he wasn’t happy with it. He said something like, ‘You’re calling me to spend weeks on set for what I could make in two to three days elsewhere,” she recalled.

Teniola stated that her conversation with the actor made her realise how money circulates in the film industry. She stressed the importance for financial discussions in the industry while lauding actors like Timini and Kunle Remi for openly discussing their earnings with colleagues.

”In my industry, people rarely talk about pay disparity. And I’m grateful to individuals like Timini Egbusin and Kunle Remi, who openly discuss their earnings with colleagues. The issue is, because we don’t talk openly about pay, many people aren’t aware of the earning potential. They assume, ‘Ah, they offered me 100,000, I’ll just take it,’ without realizing that budgets are often flexible. For instance, a character might only be needed for a couple of days. But the budget might allocate 700,000,” she added.