Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Nollywood actor Tayo Faniran has alleged that favouritism, industry politics and what he described as “rigging” are limiting opportunities for talented actors, directors and producers in Nigeria’s film industry.
Faniran made the comments during an appearance on TVC’s entertainment programme eSplash, where he reflected on his career and questioned whether talent and merit are given enough weight when opportunities and recognition are distributed in Nollywood. Multiple reports of the interview published on September 30 and October 1, 2026, carried similar accounts of his remarks.
The actor said he believes his own career would have progressed further if Nollywood operated strictly on talent, while arguing that some of the producers, directors and actors widely regarded as industry leaders are not necessarily the most talented professionals.
His claims are allegations and personal assessments. Faniran did not name specific individuals in the remarks reported, and the claims about favouritism and rigging have not been independently established as facts.
Faniran Questions How Success Is Determined in Nollywood
Faniran said the Nigerian film industry has its own form of politics and suggested that the factors determining professional success go beyond acting or filmmaking ability.
“When you talk about the politics of our country, like government and all of that, and what we are complaining about today as citizens, in Nollywood we’re facing times ten of that,” he said, according to reports of the TVC interview.
He then linked the issue to his personal experience, arguing that his career would have reached a different level under a system based primarily on talent.
“Someone like me, if Nollywood were to be strictly about talent, I should be far beyond where I am now,” Faniran said.
The actor also challenged the assumption that the biggest names in Nollywood are automatically the most talented.
“In Nollywood, the film producers, actors and directors you guys see and know as the biggest are not the most talented,” he said, according to reports of the interview.
Faniran further alleged that there is significant manipulation within the industry, using the term “rigging” to describe what he believes affects professional opportunities and recognition.
“There is a lot of rigging in the industry,” he said.
Allegations Remain Unsubstantiated
While Faniran’s remarks have generated discussion, the claims should be understood in the context in which they were made: an actor speaking about his own experience and perceptions of the Nigerian entertainment industry.
The reports reviewed by Weng Global do not indicate that Faniran provided evidence establishing that the industry as a whole is controlled by favouritism or that awards are systematically manipulated.
He also did not identify particular producers, directors, actors or organisations as responsible for the practices he criticised in the portions of the interview reported by the media.
That distinction is important. Allegations about professional gatekeeping or award manipulation require specific evidence before they can be treated as established facts.
Faniran’s comments nevertheless raise a broader question about how opportunities are distributed in an industry where commercial considerations, audience recognition, professional relationships, previous credits and marketability can all influence casting and project decisions.
A Career Shaped by Both Setbacks and Opportunities
Faniran’s comments also come against the background of a career that has moved between reality television and acting.
He became widely known after representing Nigeria on the ninth season of Big Brother Africa, where he finished as runner-up. His subsequent acting work has included roles in films such as Gangs of Lagos, Ada Omo Daddy, Labake Olododo and The Fire and the Moth.
His breakthrough acting role in Gangs of Lagos brought renewed attention to his acting career. In an earlier interview with The Nation, Faniran said the film helped change how people viewed him professionally and opened opportunities for subsequent projects.
That history provides context for his latest comments. Faniran is not arguing that he has been completely excluded from Nollywood. Rather, his position is that his career would have developed further if talent had been the decisive factor in determining opportunities.
In an earlier interview published by Tribune, Faniran similarly described Gangs of Lagos as an important turning point and said the film helped him gain recognition as an actor beyond his identity as a former reality television contestant.
The Debate Over Talent, Access and Visibility
Faniran’s argument touches on a longstanding challenge in creative industries: talent does not always translate directly into visibility or career advancement.
Actors may possess strong technical abilities but still struggle to obtain auditions, significant roles or opportunities to demonstrate their skills. At the same time, filmmakers and producers must make commercial decisions involving financing, distribution, audience demand and the ability of performers to attract viewers.
Those realities can make the question of merit complicated.
A recognisable actor may be selected because producers believe audiences are more likely to watch a film featuring that performer. A filmmaker with a successful track record may find it easier to secure financing than someone with strong creative ability but limited industry connections.
Such considerations do not, by themselves, establish favouritism or corruption. They illustrate the difference between talent, opportunity and commercial success.
Faniran’s central complaint is that these different factors can sometimes overshadow ability.
His Criticism Extends to Awards
Faniran also questioned the credibility of recognition within the industry, alleging that awards can be affected by the same problems he believes influence casting and career advancement.
Reports of his TVC appearance quoted him as saying that awards are also subject to what he described as “rigging.”
In a separate account of the interview, Faniran reportedly referred specifically to his film The Fire and the Moth, saying he believed the project deserved greater recognition during the most recent Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards cycle.
His assessment of the film’s quality is a matter of opinion rather than an independently established fact.
The Fire and the Moth, directed by Taiwo Egunjobi, was released in 2025 and featured Faniran in the role of Saba. Available film records list Faniran among the principal cast.
Criticism of awards is not unusual in entertainment industries, where disagreements frequently emerge over nominations, winners and the criteria used by judging bodies. However, claims that an award process was manipulated require evidence beyond an individual contestant or actor’s dissatisfaction with the outcome.
Why the Issue Matters to Nollywood
The debate raised by Faniran matters because Nollywood depends heavily on a broad pool of creative talent.
Nigeria’s film industry includes actors, directors, writers, producers, cinematographers, editors, costume designers, sound professionals and numerous other workers. Access to meaningful opportunities can therefore affect more than individual careers.
When talented professionals struggle to obtain opportunities, the consequences can extend to the quality and diversity of films available to audiences.
A system that gives new and established professionals opportunities based on transparent and defensible criteria can also help the industry discover performers and filmmakers who might otherwise remain outside the most visible circles.
At the same time, commercial filmmaking cannot be separated entirely from business realities. Producers must consider budgets, audience expectations, distribution and the financial prospects of a project.
The challenge is finding a balance in which commercial considerations do not unnecessarily prevent talented professionals from competing.
What Faniran’s Claims Do — and Do Not — Establish
Faniran’s remarks should not be interpreted as proof that Nollywood is universally controlled by favouritism or that all major industry successes are undeserved.
There is no evidence in the reports reviewed by Weng Global establishing such a sweeping conclusion.
Instead, the comments provide the perspective of one experienced actor who believes the industry’s system does not sufficiently reward talent and merit.
Other professionals may have different experiences. Some actors have built careers through years of consistent work, while others have gained prominence after breakthrough performances, successful films or strong professional relationships.
The existence of industry networks also does not automatically mean that opportunities are improperly allocated. In many creative industries, established professional relationships are a normal part of how projects are developed.
The question becomes whether those relationships unfairly prevent qualified newcomers or less-connected professionals from competing.
That is the broader issue underlying Faniran’s criticism.
The Need for Greater Transparency
If concerns about gatekeeping and unequal access are to be addressed meaningfully, the industry would benefit from greater transparency around casting, auditions, funding, distribution and awards.
More open opportunities could allow producers to discover performers beyond familiar circles, while clearer selection criteria for awards could help strengthen public confidence in recognition systems.
Streaming platforms have also changed the potential route to audiences. Digital distribution can give filmmakers more opportunities to reach viewers without depending entirely on traditional cinema structures.
However, access to production funding, marketing and visibility remains important. A film can be available to audiences and still struggle to compete if it lacks sufficient promotion or distribution.
For emerging actors and filmmakers, therefore, the issue is not simply whether talent exists. It is whether the industry provides enough opportunities for that talent to be tested, developed and recognised.
What Happens Next
Faniran’s comments are likely to keep the conversation about merit, access and opportunity in Nollywood alive, particularly if other actors, producers, directors or industry bodies respond.
For now, however, his claims remain his own assessment of the industry.
Any broader conclusion about favouritism, gatekeeping or alleged rigging would require evidence from multiple stakeholders, documented examples and, where relevant, responses from the people or organisations accused of unfair practices.
What is clear is that Faniran wants the Nigerian film industry to place greater emphasis on merit and to create opportunities for talented professionals who he believes are currently being overlooked.
His criticism therefore goes beyond his own career. It raises a wider question for Nollywood: how can an industry that is increasingly important to Nigeria’s cultural influence and global entertainment presence ensure that talented people have a fair chance to succeed?
That question will remain relevant as Nollywood continues to expand, compete internationally and search for new voices.
Weng Global – stories beyond borders
Sources
- TVC Entertainment News / eSplash
- Legit.ng
- The Culture Newspaper
- Naija News
- The Nation
- Tribune Online
- IMDb
