Association of Movie Producers (AMP) Nigeria

Overview

The Association of Movie Producers (AMP) Nigeria is the professional guild representing film producers in Nollywood. Officially registered in 1996, it has over 10,000 members across 28 state chapters plus the Federal Capital Territory and a diaspora membership base. AMP is the premier association in Nollywood representing, protecting, and promoting the interests of all members of the producing team in film, television, and new media.

The current National President is Queen Blessing Ebigieson, who in March 2026 was elected Chairman of the Federation of Registered Nollywood Guilds and Associations. The Federation coordinates collaboration among Nollywood's guilds and associations on industry-wide policy, government engagement, and international representation. Other Federation executives include Alh. Shehu Hassan Kano (Vice Chairman), Alhaji Toyin Uthman (Secretary), and Chief James Oguejiofor (Public Relations Officer).

AMP operates through a hierarchical structure: a National Executive Council providing overarching leadership and policy direction, state chapter executives implementing national directives and running regional initiatives, and a Board of Trustees comprising industry veterans including Joe Dudun, Paul Obazele, Zik Zulu Okafor, Ralph Nwadike, Tade Ogidan, and Ego Boyo.

Membership Requirements

To join AMP Nigeria, applicants must meet two conditions:

1. A registered movie production company with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). This requires a CAC business name or limited liability company registration. Business Name registration costs approximately NGN 45,000; Limited Liability Company registration starts at approximately NGN 60,000 for 1 million share capital. The process is completed online through the CAC portal (pre.cac.gov.ng) and takes 5 to 10 working days.
2. Must have produced at least one film or be currently in pre-production on a project.

AMP membership is structured at National level (NAT prefix) and state/Diaspora level (DL prefix). The member registry exceeds 1,700 numbered entries, with members including established producers such as Funke Akindele, Richard Mofe Damijo, Bolanle Austen-Peters, and Kemi Lala Akindoju.

Nollywood Industry Structure and Scale

Nollywood produces over 2,500 films annually, making it the world's second-largest film producer by volume after India's Bollywood. The industry's commercial model was historically built on rapid production, low budgets, and direct-to-market video distribution through optical disc sales. This has shifted significantly with the emergence of streaming platforms and theatrical exhibition.

Netflix Africa's investment in Nigerian originals has created a new production tier with budgets significantly higher than traditional Nollywood. Films like Funke Akindele's A Tribe Called Judah (2023) grossed over NGN 1 billion at the Nigerian box office, demonstrating the commercial potential of the growing theatrical sector. Amazon Prime Video has also commissioned Nigerian originals, and domestic streaming platform Showmax (a MultiChoice/NBCUniversal joint venture) commissions local content.

Intellectual Property and Piracy

Intellectual property protection has been among the most persistent challenges for Nollywood producers. Physical piracy (unauthorized duplication on optical disc and USB drives) severely limited returns for rights holders through the 2000s and 2010s, restricting capital available for reinvestment in higher-budget productions. The transition toward streaming distribution has reduced physical piracy while creating new challenges around unauthorized streaming and digital rights management.

AMP's IP advocacy engages with two federal bodies:

• Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC): Administers intellectual property protection in Nigeria under the Copyright Act. The 2022 amendment to the Copyright Act strengthened provisions against digital piracy and introduced new protections for online content.
• National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB): Regulates film classification, certification, and distribution in Nigeria. All films intended for public exhibition must receive NFVCB classification.

Federation of Registered Nollywood Guilds and Associations

In March 2026, AMP National President Queen Blessing Ebigieson was elected Chairman of the Federation of Registered Nollywood Guilds and Associations, effective 7 March 2026. The Federation is the coordinating body for Nollywood's guilds and associations, providing a unified voice for industry engagement with government, diaspora communities, and international partners. Ebigieson's dual role as AMP President and Federation Chairman gives AMP significant influence in Nollywood's collective industry advocacy.

Nollywood's Global Reach

Nollywood films reach audiences across sub-Saharan Africa, in African diaspora communities in the UK, US, and elsewhere, and increasingly among non-African audiences through streaming platforms. The industry's global reach is commercially significant: Nollywood generates an estimated USD 660 million in annual revenue (according to PwC Nigeria entertainment and media outlook projections), though informal sector revenues may be higher.

Nigerian cinema reflects West African cultural values and storytelling traditions for audiences historically underserved by Western-centric film industries. The rise of international streaming investment has created co-production opportunities for international producers, though these must be understood within Nollywood's established industry structure and its specific production practices.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For international co-productions with Nigeria, AMP provides professional context for understanding the Nollywood production landscape and identifying experienced Nigerian producers as co-production partners. Netflix Africa and Amazon Prime Video's investment in Nigerian content has created genuine co-production opportunities, but international producers should understand that Nollywood's production culture differs from Hollywood or European models: faster production schedules, different budget structures, and different distribution economics.

For Nigerian producers, AMP membership requires a CAC-registered production company and at least one produced film or a project in pre-production. Membership provides professional community, advocacy support through the Federation of Registered Nollywood Guilds and Associations, educational and mentoring programmes, and institutional connections for careers in an industry transitioning toward higher-budget, internationally distributed production.

Producers should note that AMP's 28 state chapters operate with local executives who implement national directives and run regional initiatives. State-level membership may provide more accessible entry points for emerging producers outside Lagos.

See Also

For Nollywood distribution, see FilmOne Nigeria in this directory. For the pan-African cinema context, see Pan African Federation of Filmmakers (FEPACI) in this directory.