YouTube Projects Pay Some Actors More Than Cinema Films – Sandra Okunzuwa Claims

Actress and producer Sandra Okunzuwa has revealed that filmmakers producing content for YouTube now pay actors higher fees than many traditional cinema productions in Nollywood.

According to Ireporter Online, Okunzuwa made this known during a recent appearance on the BTS Reality podcast, where she discussed the evolving pay structure within the Nigerian film industry.

She explained that the long-held perception that actors are poorly paid is gradually changing, noting that the expansion of digital platforms, particularly YouTube, has significantly improved earnings for performers.

Okunzuwa disclosed that some actors currently earn between ₦4 million and ₦5 million for a four-day shoot on YouTube-based productions, stressing that such figures were less common when Nollywood income was largely dependent on cinema releases and platforms like Netflix.

She added that the rise of YouTube has reshaped compensation trends in the industry, with some actors now earning more from digital projects than from conventional cinema films.

Concluding her remarks, she stated that “YouTube pays actors better than cinema movies,” highlighting the ongoing shift in Nollywood’s production and payment dynamics.