While Nollywood in southern Nigeria has historically dominated the country’s film industry, filmmakers in the north are pushing for new horizons, striving to garner attention on the international stage. This burgeoning sector, known as Kannywood, operates within a socially conservative framework while embracing modern storytelling techniques.
In an effort to broaden their audience beyond Nigeria’s borders, young creatives in Kannywood are inspired not only by their colleagues from the affluent Christian south but also by influences from global cinema, including Indian films. Currently producing around 200 films each month, Kannywood capitalises on the potential of its extensive audience, which includes approximately 80 million Hausa speakers across West and Central Africa, as well as a large diaspora worldwide.
However, aligning global audience expectations with local customs presents significant challenges. In Kano State, a prominent cultural centre in Northern Nigeria, sharia law operates alongside common law, and a government censorship board carefully scrutinises music and film production.
Kamilu Ibrahim, one of the industry’s most ambitious directors, is making strides to innovate by incorporating elements not typically seen in Hausa films. He enriches his narratives with English and Arabic subtitles to broaden accessibility and appeal to a wider viewer base.
Despite the cultural differences, Kannywood’s filmmakers continue to explore themes akin to those found in Nollywood—such as love, betrayal, and vengeance—often delivered with the melodramatic flair characteristic of Nigerian cinema. Nevertheless, certain content remains censored, including nudity and depictions of sexuality, as Abba El-Mustapha, an actor-director and executive secretary of the Kano State film censorship board, highlighted.
During a visit to Ibrahim’s set last year, he was busy filming the second season of “Wata Shida,” a compelling narrative about a woman facing pressure to enter a forced marriage. To escape this, she weds another man, creating a partnership based purely on convenience rather than romance, a storyline resonant with the realities many women face in the region.
Ibrahim emphasises the role of film in sparking discussion of important societal issues, noting, “We are not accustomed to seeing someone pursuing a dream without the consent of their family.” Actor Adam Garba expressed hope that “Wata Shida” will one day be featured on a major streaming platform, though for now, viewers can find it on YouTube.
Unfortunately, most Nigerian films available on prominent platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime continue to be productions from the wealthier southern part of the country, where Hausa speakers are a minority.
