Nollywood actress Jaiye Kuti says film producers need at least three years to recover the money they invest in cinema productions.

Speaking on Oyinmomo, Kuti said filmmakers earn income in stages. A movie first runs in cinemas before moving to streaming and other digital platforms.

“I spent about N185 million on my recent movie ‘Jayola Monje: The Anniversary’. The way we make our money back is through the cinema and other platforms, where you receive payments about every two months,” she said.

Kuti said cinema films remain in theatres for about six months. They then move to Netflix, other streaming platforms and eventually YouTube. She said this process makes patience essential for producers and everyone involved in a project.

She also recalled the challenges her movie faced after its release. Kuti alleged that cinemas removed the film after its first week. She added that some cinemas did not screen it despite plans to do so.

“When my movie was released, it was shown only in the first week and then removed in the second week. I know what happened, but I don’t want to talk about it now because I’m being careful. There were cinemas where my movie should have been shown, but it wasn’t,” she added.

Kuti’s comments follow similar complaints from filmmakers, including Toyin Abraham, Ini Edo and Niyi Akinmolayan. They have raised concerns about alleged unfair screening and scheduling practices in Nigerian cinemas