NFI Jos Welcomes 233 New Filmmakers as Nigeria’s Creative Boom Fuels Talent Race

Ali Nuhu tells new generation of filmmakers: “The future of Nigeria’s film industry will be shaped by your contributions”

JOS, PLATEAU STATE — A new generation of Nigerian filmmakers has officially entered the picture.

The National Film Institute (NFI), Jos, on Wednesday, August 12, matriculated 233 students admitted to study Film Production, as Nigeria’s booming creative economy continues to drive demand for professionally trained talent.

The colourful ceremony in Jos marked the formal beginning of the students’ academic journey at Nigeria’s premier film-training institution, where they are expected to earn Bachelor’s Degrees in Film Arts after completing their three- or four-year programmes.

And if the message from industry stakeholders is anything to go by, these are not just students entering a classroom—they are potential players in the next chapter of Nigerian cinema.

Ali Nuhu: Your Time Is Now

In a congratulatory message to the new intake, Dr. Ali Nuhu, Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigerian Film Corporation and Chairman of the NFI Governing Council, challenged the students to make the most of the opportunity before them.

Nuhu urged the budding filmmakers to sharpen their skills and competencies, stressing that their individual contributions could help determine the future direction of Nigeria’s film industry.

It is a significant charge at a time when Nollywood and Africa’s wider creative sector are expanding beyond traditional cinema and television into streaming, digital platforms, international collaborations and new forms of content creation.

The industry, in other words, needs more than people who can make films. It needs well-trained filmmakers who understand the craft, technology and professional demands of a rapidly changing global screen business.

233 Students, One Big Screen Dream

For the 233 new students, Wednesday’s ceremony was the moment their aspirations became official.

The mandatory matriculation exercise formally confirmed their studentship and required them to pledge adherence to the academic and non-academic regulations of the institution by signing the Students’ Matriculation Oath Form.

Parents, guardians, friends of NFI and members of the host community joined principal officers of the institute and the University of Jos for the semi-regimented and colourful ceremony.

The University of Jos Vice Chancellor, Professor Tanko Ishaya, who declared the event open, congratulated the students and urged them to maintain good conduct, warning them against activities that could jeopardise their academic careers.

Where Nollywood’s Next Generation Gets Trained

Founded in 1995 by the Nigerian Film Corporation, NFI Jos has spent more than three decades positioning itself as a centre of excellence for cinematography and professional film education.

Today, the institute is affiliated with the University of Jos and provides training across professional diploma, undergraduate and master's degree programmes, including Film Production, Film Culture and Archiving Studies.

Among the officials present at the ceremony were Prof. Pomak Tengya, Rector of NFI; Johnson Iyaromi, NFI Registrar; Prof. Hussaini Tsaku, Head of Theatre and Film Arts Department, University of Jos; and other senior officials of NFI, the University of Jos and the Nigerian Film Corporation.

With Nigeria’s creative economy increasingly recognised as an important contributor to national development, institutions such as NFI face an equally important assignment: producing the skilled workforce capable of sustaining the momentum.

For the 233 new students, however, the assignment is more personal.

They have walked through the doors of one of Nigeria’s most established film schools. Now comes the hard part—learning the craft, finding their voices and proving that the next great Nigerian film story may begin with them.

And in Jos, the next generation has officially yelled: “Action!”