Majid Michel: Comparing Ghana's film industry to Nollywood is unfair
- Ghanaian actor Majid Michel says comparing Ghana's movie industry with Nigeria's Nollywood is unfair and illogical.
- He argued on Accra's Y1079 FM that Nigeria's far larger population naturally produces more filmmakers and professionals.
- Michel also said Ghana should not compare itself to nations that have built systems over centuries.
Veteran Ghanaian actor Majid Michel has weighed in on the long-running rivalry between Ghana's movie industry and Nigeria's Nollywood, saying the comparison does not make sense.
Michel spoke in an interview on Y1079 FM in Accra, according to reports by Daily Post, The Nation and Leadership. He argued that Nigeria's much larger population gives it an edge in producing talent, and that measuring Ghana against that is unfair.
"The comparison between us and Nigeria is such a stupid comparison to me," Michel said, according to the reports. He used a family analogy: if one person has 50 children and another has five, the one with 50 is more likely to produce more doctors, more filmmakers and, yes, more criminals too.
Ghana's population is under 40 million, he said, while Nigeria's is over 200 million, "almost 300 million." With that gap, he argued, it is only expected that Nigeria would have more filmmakers and other professionals.
"Why do they have more doctors than us? Mathematically, you should know why," he said.
Not just about film
Michel, one of Ghana's best-known actors, extended the argument beyond movies. He said Ghana should also not compare itself with older, established nations that have built systems over centuries.
"When it comes to leadership, we are adolescent," he said. "There are countries that have been in leadership for over 300 years. They have built systems. We are way behind. So it is an unfair comparison."
His comments touch a familiar debate among fans across West Africa, where Nollywood and Ghana's film industry have long been compared and sometimes pitted against each other. Nigerian films dominate cinemas and streaming platforms across the region, while Ghanaian actors remain popular with Nigerian audiences.
Michel did not say Ghana's industry is weaker in quality, only that raw numbers favour Nigeria. The reports did not include any response from Nigerian filmmakers or from Ghanaian industry bodies.
What happens next
There is no official action tied to the comments. The remarks are likely to keep the debate going among fans online, especially as both industries continue to compete for audiences on streaming platforms across Africa.
