Who doesn’t love watching movies, right? As the film junkie that I am, it hurts me so bad that I can’t consume all the film and video content available in the world. And when it comes to Nollywood movies, it even gets worse because you either have to watch the movie in cinemas or wait for months (and sometimes years) for the movie to be available in high-quality DVD format for purchase, which doesn’t usually happen all the time unless one wants to go straight for home video kind of movies that are being distributed from Alaba market.
Thanks to the advent of streaming services, there are now platforms full of rich Nollywood film content that is available on all your devices either totally free or for a small fee (did you feel my rhymes? I kind of put a lot of effort into that one,) and below, you will find ten of such places where you can stream and download Nollywood movies online.
Iroko TV
Dubbed the Netflix of Africa, Iroko TV is seen as the number 1 online distribution platform for Nollywood movies on the continent. Their rich catalogue of blockbuster movies, original productions, and TV shows also which is said to be over 5000 in volume has seen them stay at the forefront of movie streaming for Nollywood movies. The platform is available on phone devices, computers and smart TV screens as well. Subscription is between N3000-N5000 a year, which is very affordable for a platform such as that.
Ibaka TV
Ibaka TV is one of those platforms that slowly but surely came up to become one of the most patronised streaming services for Nollywood movies both in Nigeria and in the diaspora. Their platform boasts an amazing collection of premium content that has either been screened in cinemas before or should have been screened there. Like Iroko TV, they also have content from other movie industries across Africa also. The subscription goes from $7 per month to $60 per year.
YouTube
YouTube is a free platform where you can find a lot of Nollywood movies on. Now, blockbuster movies and new releases never make their way to the platform, but if you are looking for classic Nigerian movies like Full Moon, Diamond Ring, Yoruba movies or home video kind of movies, the YouTube is the perfect platform for you. Also, there are now channels like Ndani TV, Red TV, LowlaDee TV, and more that do web-series and movies, which can be found on the platform. Subscription is totally free, but adverts will run in between the movies unless you download them on the platform.
[HAVE YOU SUBSCRIBED TO CINEMASHED’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL YET?]
iFlix/Kwese
From Malaysia, iFlix came into the streaming space to disrupt a lot of things (in a good way). They became the international platform producers sought to put their movies on since not all movies could go on Netflix. The major selling point of iFlix is that asides from Nollywood movies, you can get Korean films, documentaries, Turkish drama, Bollywood, cartoons, live sports and more from Hollywood, the UK, Asia, the Middle East and Africa for about N6500 annually or from as low as N700 for a limited period of time.
EbonyLife ON
EbonyLife has been the mastermind behind movies like The Wedding Party (1&2) and Chief Daddy, as well as TV Shows like Castle and Castle, and others, and they can all be found on the EbonyLife TV application for both web and mobile. You can stream Nollywood movies, both original and licensed, as well as Telemundo shows on their platform for $4.99 monthly, however, this excludes premium content like their blockbuster movies, which will be available for a 30-day rental period after you have paid a fee for the premium content.
Amazon Prime
Amazon went from being the best platform to purchase DVDs of blockbuster Nollywood movies on, to streaming movies also. Movies such as King of Boys, The Wedding Party, and a lot of blockbuster Nigerian movies (both old and new) are available on the platform for either download, streaming or both. The subscription on Amazon Prime costs $5.99 per month, and it gives you access to movies and TV shows (both original and licensed) from around the globe.
Netflix
The list wouldn’t be complete if Netflix isn’t there, now would it? Netflix has become home to a wide collection of Nollywood movies and now that it’s boasting its own original Nollywood content like LionHeart and the recently purchased Mokalik, the streaming service will probably continue to be the go-to choice for streaming the best Nollywood has to offer. Subscription costs about N5500 monthly (family plan), and this not only gives you access to Nigerian movies, but also a wide array of movies and TV shows from every single continent and video production method on the planet.
AfriNolly
AfriNolly has been in existence since 2011 and allows users to watch African movies, movie trailers, short films and even music videos. It is popular because of its accessibility and ease of use. After winning the Google Android Developers Challenge, Sub-Saharan Africa, the app has been downloaded by over 4 million users (this amazing growth was helped by strategic partnerships the platform had) and has become the most downloaded Entertainment app, designed and developed in Africa.
NollyLand
This is another addition to the list with a very active and loyal user base. It provides thousands of choices to choose from across many genres and can be easily be found most phone app stores.
The app has been applauded for the absence of excessive and buggy ads, which makes watching movies on it a lot more seamless than other options.
ShowMax
Here’s another fan favourite when it comes to Nigerian Streaming services. Like Ibaka TV, it also comes with a variety of languages to choose from. It also corners the Pan African market within African languages like Swahili and IsiZulu. Its owned by Naspers, the parent company of Multichoice (owners of DSTV) so there is a strong partnership between Showmax and DSTV, offering services that go hand in hand. Subscription to ShowMax is $7.99 per month.