Patience Ozokwor Reveals Why Veteran Actors Are Begging Online

Veteran actress Patience Ozokwor, widely known as Mama G, has criticised the payment system in Nigeria’s film industry, highlighting that the absence of royalties leaves actors in financial difficulty.

Speaking on the podcast Curiosity Made Me Ask, hosted by Isbae U, Ozokwor explained that actors typically receive only a one-time payment for their work, despite films continuing to generate revenue over time. She said this structure has compelled some actors to publicly seek financial assistance.

“The problem is that you see us begging because they don’t give us royalties. We just work and toil so hard, and then that peanut, that money you gave us on board to come and shoot for you, is the only thing we get,” she said.

Ozokwor contrasted this system with practices in developed countries, where actors continue to earn from their work, providing long-term financial security for themselves and their families.

“Go and look at the smallest actors in developed countries. Every work they do fetches them money every day of their lives. Even when they are gone, their families still live on that. We, we are still working hard,” she added.

The actress noted that the lack of royalties has driven many Nigerian actors to explore alternative platforms like YouTube, allowing them to earn directly from their work.

“Before, it used to be very difficult to earn royalties from movies. We have just been managing and trying,” she said. “Thank God, now you can have your own YouTube channel. You are your own marketer, producer, and executive producer; you do everything on your own,” she concluded.

According to industry observers, this trend marks a shift in the Nollywood business model as actors increasingly seek independent revenue streams.