The new leadership of the Actors Guild of Nigeria is pushing for stronger welfare structures and deeper professional unity across the country’s film industry. Speaking in an interview, its president, Abubakar Sanusi Yakubu, shared his vision of building a more rewarding future for practitioners while strengthening collaboration within the creative sector.
Yakubu explained that his administration’s priority is improving the living standards of actors across Nigeria. He stressed that members in every state chapter should feel the positive impact of the guild’s policies. Beyond creating better working conditions, he wants actors to have access to additional income opportunities to help them cope with the current economic realities. To achieve this, the guild is working with producers and other industry stakeholders to improve payment structures and increase consistent job opportunities.
He also spoke about the imbalance between the number of actors and available roles. According to him, when acting roles become limited, members should be encouraged to acquire additional skills within film production. Training programmes in areas such as makeup, costume design and catering can help actors stay financially stable even when they are not on screen.
Yakubu also highlighted the importance of digital platforms in today’s entertainment economy. The guild has introduced an initiative known as the Influencers’ Channel, which is designed to teach actors how to monetise their social media presence. He explained that acting naturally places performers in positions of influence, and that platforms like YouTube can allow actors to create and distribute content from home while earning income. The guild hopes to build strong digital networks that can promote entertainment projects and personal brands simultaneously.
On government support, Yakubu expressed concern that actors are often overlooked in creative economy funding schemes. He described actors as the visible faces of the industry’s creative output, yet said they rarely benefit directly from grants and financial support programmes. He called on the government of Nigeria to establish dedicated funds for actors’ professional training and development. He also referenced international agreements such as the Beijing Performance Rights framework, noting that Nigerian performers deserve to benefit from performance royalties as part of global creative rights systems.
Discussing industry earnings, he admitted that acting is still developing as a financially stable career in the country. However, he pointed out that the industry continues to grow. Many top directors and producers in Nigeria started their careers as actors, which shows how central acting is to the entertainment ecosystem. He explained that while major roles may be well paid, smaller roles and background performances often remain underpaid. The guild is currently negotiating with producers to ensure fairer distribution of earnings across different categories of performers.
He also observed that increasing international streaming opportunities and cinema production have helped improve earnings for actors. Platforms like global streaming services are creating more roles, and production budgets are gradually expanding, allowing even smaller cast members to earn more than before. Though challenges remain, Yakubu believes steady progress is being made.
On piracy, Yakubu noted that digital distribution has helped reduce illegal copying of films. With content now mostly distributed online, platforms have stronger copyright protection mechanisms. He said piracy has dropped significantly compared to the era of physical CDs. However, he expressed concern about international or territorial piracy, where content is sometimes uploaded and monetised outside Nigeria without the knowledge of original creators. The guild hopes to work with the Nigerian Communications Commission to track illegal distribution channels and protect revenue streams for both the government and content creators.
Yakubu also emphasised unity across the different film sectors in Nigeria, including the Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo film industries. He believes language should not divide actors, since acting is a universal profession. His goal is to build a single strong professional body that can effectively advocate for better welfare packages, improved pay structures and better working environments for all practitioners.
Looking ahead, he envisions Nigerian actors gaining more global recognition. He hopes to see local performers taking leading roles in major international productions across Hollywood, Bollywood and Asian film markets. According to him, Nigerian talent has the potential to compete globally while also generating foreign exchange earnings for the country.
