Nollywood guilds set conditions for foreign productions

Henceforth, any foreigner coming into Nigeria for movie related productions must be duly cleared by all the guilds in Nollywood as well as the relevant government agencies before being allowed to work.
Aside the necessary clearance, they will equally pay certain amount of levies to the relevant guilds before proceeding to work in Nollywood.
Making the new guidelines known at a recent parley with movie journalists was Mr. Bond Emeruwa, the Chairman of Coalition of Nollywood Guilds and Associations (CONGA). According to him, the move became necessary, because the time has come to protect the Nigerian film industry, with a view to enabling it grow bigger and better.
Emeruwa further argued that the growth will equally increase its capacity to assist other emerging film industries globally.
He said CONGA, has resolved that any film practitioner wishing to work on a project in Nigeria must fulfill the following conditions.
“Obtain a clearance from the Interpol in his country of origin attesting to his criminal status. Apply for and obtain a written permission from the Nigerian Film Corporation. Apply for and obtain a written approval from CONGA, through the appropriate guild or association that best represents the practitioner’s area of practice. Any film practitioner or production company coming into Nigeria is doing so because of the conducive atmosphere. To ensure the continued existence of this atmosphere, there is need for those coming to practice in Nollywood to contribute financially, hence, the need for mandatory levies,” posited Emeruwa.
For foreign actors, producers, directors and screen writers, the sum of $2,500, will be paid respectively, for any job they are embarking on in Nigeria, while production companies are levied $10,000. Creative Designers, Production Managers, Assistant Directors and others will pay between $1,500 and $1,000, respectively. CONGA, also made it clear that any foreign film that seeks to be distributed in Nigeria, must first be censored by the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board as well as registered with the Film and Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria.
It added that a non refundable fee of $10,000, a censorship certificate from the country of origin, a copyright certificate from the country of origin and from the Nigerian Copyright Commission, as well as proof of censorship in Nigeria, must be produced before any foreign film will be distributed.
CONGA, also said that any film produced in Nigeria that parades one or two foreign artistes shall be treated as a foreign film, at the point of distribution, except otherwise stated. It also resolved that any foreign production sited within the geographical area of Nigeria, must have at least 80 percent of its cast and crew as Nigerians.
Speaking further, Emeruwa, also the president of Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) insisted that the new policies, without prejudice, were put in place as parts of the concerted efforts aimed at protecting and inculcating laudable ethics in the Nigerian film industry.
“However, CONGA, reserves the right to modify all these as it pertains to individual countries. And will also consider specific applications for waivers from foreign production companies,” Emeruwa explained.
Meanwhile, it would be recalled that the Ghana film industry, known as Ghollywood recently levied the sum of $1,000 and $5,000, respectively on Nigerian actors and producers coming to work in Ghana. Many now see the new initiative from CONGA, as a retaliatory measure against their Ghanaian counterparts that fired the first salvo.