Renowned filmmaker Niyi Akinmolayan has slammed critics who blame Nigerian filmmakers for the exit of streaming giants Netflix and Amazon Prime Video from the local market.

In a post on his Instagram page on Thursday, he questioned the logic behind such accusations, comparing them to blaming drivers for Uber’s recent shutdown in Nigeria.

Recall that popular global ride-hailing company Uber, announced the shutdown of its operations in Nigeria on September 2, 2026, bringing its 12-year presence in the country to an end. The company cited a review of its business operations as the reason for its exit.

Referencing it in his point against critics of Nollywood filmmakers, Akinmolayan pointed out that just as Uber’s departure was due to business realities, the decisions by streaming platforms were also driven by market forces, not filmmaker misconduct.

He wrote:
“That thing you people did to filmmakers when Prime left and Netflix cut investment, are you now going to blame drivers for Uber leaving?.”

The filmmaker’s comment comes amid ongoing online discussions where some Nigerians claimed that Netflix and Amazon pulled out because filmmakers squandered millions on luxury lifestyles. He dismissed the narrative as ridiculous, arguing that global streaming platforms base their investments on subscriber growth and market viability, not charity.

The Nigerian Voice reported in August that Akinmolayan had previously faulted claims that Netflix and Amazon pumped millions into Nollywood productions. He had explained that most films released as Netflix Originals or exclusives were actually produced independently with Nigerian money before being licensed to the platforms.

He also noted that direct commissions from these streamers are rare and that piracy and poor subscription culture have limited the growth of the streaming market in Nigeria.