DGN Seeks Grants, Tax Relief for Films on Nigeria's Heritage

The Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) has asked the Federal Government to offer grants and tax relief to filmmakers who use their work to record and preserve the country's history and cultural heritage.

 

Agbo described cinema as an important archival tool for documenting, promoting and preserving Nigeria's history, indigenous languages and cultural heritage.

 

He warned, however, that high production costs and the limited commercial returns on documentaries could deter filmmakers from telling the country's historical stories.

 

According to Agbo, government support is needed for films on Nigeria's historical sites, monuments and cultural traditions, especially projects made mainly to educate rather than to earn money.

 

"Government has to find a way to fund these things because they are national treasures and you use film to preserve them," he said.

 

He noted that history and culture could be woven into commercial feature films, but said documentaries remained essential for giving historical subjects proper depth and educational value.

 

"Documentary films are primarily for educational purposes," Agbo said, adding that such projects often struggled to make money in cinemas.

 

He said grants and backing from donor agencies were therefore key to documentary production, and that the guild was seeking grants and partnerships with donor organisations for members who wished to make documentaries.

 

"We try to see how we can secure funding, secure grants for them, because that's one way," he said.

 

Agbo urged the government to set up funding mechanisms for such projects, saying public support would help filmmakers preserve historical accounts for younger generations.

 

The DGN president also called for tax incentives and reduced import duties on film production equipment. He said such measures would cut production costs and give filmmakers better access to essential technology.

 

"Government can subsidise the tax for importation of the gadgets that we use to make films," he said.

 

He said support could come in several forms, including direct grants, tax concessions and partnerships with international development agencies. He also urged the government to ease the financial and regulatory burden on the industry to create a better operating environment for filmmakers.

 

Without such help, Agbo said, filmmakers who struggle to recoup their costs may favour profitable projects over stories of real historical or educational value.

 

"If there is no way the government is subsidising anything, whether it is in tax, concession or grants, then filmmakers would rather focus on what gives them money than telling historical stories," he said.

 

Agbo said film remained a powerful way to project Nigeria's cultural identity abroad, and urged filmmakers to portray the country's varied experiences and cultural perspectives more effectively.

 

"Film, for me, has always been one of the best channels, not just to promote, but to market and sell our culture across the world," he said.

 

He reminded Nollywood filmmakers of their responsibility as storytellers, noting that how they depict social institutions, cultural practices and everyday life can shape how audiences see Nigeria.

 

"Every story is political," Agbo said, urging filmmakers to show a balanced picture of Nigerian society rather than dwell only on negative images.

 

Agbo said the DGN recently held a regional masterclass in Abuja in partnership with MultiChoice Talent Factory to sharpen filmmakers' professional skills and improve their business opportunities.

 

He said the workshop series was designed to close skills gaps and give practitioners the knowledge they need to compete with film professionals around the world.

 

The overall goal, he said, is a better-skilled industry that produces quality work and offers practitioners sustainable opportunities.