American govt. sets to partner Nollywood

Nollywood

Efforts to boost Nigerian film industry popularly known as Nollywood was heightened as American Government sets to partner the industry in the areas of co-production treaties, protection of Intellectual Property rights and distribution.

The US Assistant Secretary of State on Economic and Business Affairs, Ambassador Charles Rivkin, disclosed this during a meeting with high-powered six-man delegation of Nollywood at the George Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.

According to Rivkin who was a former US Ambassador to France, his visit is to find a common ground between Nigeria and the USA in various sectors, including Nollywood, pointing out that the US was very much concerned about the issue of piracy and Intellectual Property protection in the sector.

He said, “I’m here to discuss the challenges and economic prospects of Nollywood and how the US government can begin to officially partner the third largest film-making nation in the world.

My visit today is one of a long line of engagements with U.S. in coming years and there will be other opportunities to collaborate on mutual interests. We will look at the issue of co-production treaties between our countries, getting your country to ratify and domesticate relevant World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties for the protection of Intellectual Properties especially online.;For US production studios to invest in Nollywood particularly in the areas of cinemas and other forms of distribution in conjunction with bodies like Netflix among other symbiotic relationship,” Rivkin stated.

The Nollywood delegation included Alex Eyengho (President, Association of Nollywood Producers, ANCOP, and Vice President of the International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations, FIAPF), Zik Zulu Okafor (President, Association of Movie Producers, AMP), Adeyinka Oduniyi (Vice President, Independent Television Producers Association, ITPAN), Gab Okoye, alias Igwe Gabosky (President, Motion Picture Distributors of Nigeria, MOPIDON), Andy Amenechi (President, Directors Guild of Nigeria, DGN) and Nobert Ajaegbu (Leader, Film and Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria, FVPMAN).