There was a time when Ghana was the undisputed giant of filmmaking in West Africa. Long before the rise of Nollywood, Ghanaian productions captivated audiences across the continent. Our films and television dramas were widely watched, our actors were household names, and aspiring filmmakers from neighbouring countries, including Nigeria, crossed our borders to learn the craft.
Today, that situation has dramatically reversed. Nigeria’s Nollywood has become a global brand, ranking among the world’s largest film industries, while Ghana’s once-thriving movie sector struggles for visibility, investment, and market share. The story bears a striking resemblance to that of Nokia, the former king of mobile phones.
When Ghana Was King
In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, Ghana was regarded as a leading centre of film and television production in West Africa. Productions such as Osofo Dadzie, Obra, Things We Do for Love, Ultimate Paradise, Inspector Bediako, and numerous local films dominated screens and captured the imagination of audiences.
At a time when Nigeria’s industry was still developing, many Nigerians came to Ghana to acquire filmmaking skills and technical knowledge. Ghanaian content was broadcast on Nigerian television stations, and Ghana’s filmmakers were respected across the region. Like Nokia in the mobile phone industry, Ghana was ahead of the competition. Nokia’s phones were everywhere; the company dominated the global market and appeared untouchable.
Similarly, Ghana’s film industry occupied a leadership position that many believed would continue indefinitely.
The Turning Point
The problem with being a leader is that success can create a false sense of security. When smartphones began transforming the mobile phone industry, Nokia was slow to adapt. The company underestimated the significance of changing consumer preferences, new technologies, and emerging competitors. The same thing happened in Ghana’s film industry.
While Nollywood aggressively expanded production, embraced direct-to-video distribution, built stronger business networks, and later leveraged digital platforms, Ghana’s industry struggled to evolve with the changing landscape.
Instead of building a sustainable ecosystem, the industry became fragmented. Production houses operated largely in isolation or silos, investment declined, distribution networks weakened, piracy flourished, government support remained inconsistent, and training institutions failed to expand at the pace required by the industry.
Ultimately, Nigeria was building an industry, while Ghana was merely producing films. The difference became monumental.
Nollywood’s Rise
Nigeria understood something that Ghana largely overlooked: filmmaking is both an artistic and a business enterprise. Nollywood focused on volume, market penetration, audience development, and distribution. Producers created films that resonated with local audiences while simultaneously targeting the wider African market and the diaspora.
As satellite television expanded and streaming platforms emerged, Nollywood was ready. International platforms such as Netflix and other notable studios began investing in Nigerian content, exposing African stories to global audiences.
Nigeria’s film industry transformed from a local entertainment sector into an international cultural export. Ghana, despite possessing immense talent and storytelling potential, was largely left behind.
The Nokia Syndrome
The lesson from Nokia’s decline is not that the company lacked talent or resources. Rather, Nokia failed to recognise that the industry had changed. The same can be said about Ghana’s film sector.
For years, discussions have focused on a lack of funding, piracy, government neglect, and competition. While these challenges are real, they do not fully explain the decline. The bigger issue is that the industry did not adapt quickly enough to new realities:
- Digital distribution
- Streaming platforms
- Audience analytics
- International co-productions
- Content marketing
- Brand partnerships
- Intellectual property monetisation
- Global audience targeting
The world changed, but much of Ghana’s film ecosystem continued operating under old assumptions.
Note: The Nokia comparison works best as a metaphor for lost leadership and a failure to adapt. Unlike Nokia, however, Ghana’s film industry decline was also shaped by structural issues: limited financing, weak distribution systems, piracy, inconsistent policy support, and a relatively small domestic market. Factoring in these elements makes the argument much more balanced and credible.
What Exactly Did Ghana Lose?
The loss was not merely economic; it was deeply cultural. In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, Ghanaian stories reflected Ghanaian realities. They preserved our languages, customs, values, humour, and social experiences. The film industry was not just creating entertainment; it was documenting who we were as a people: our architecture, fashion sense, lifestyle, and developmental transitions.
As the industry’s influence declined, Ghana gradually lost a significant portion of its cultural voice in the African media space. Today, many young Africans are more familiar with Nigerian cities, slang, fashion, and cultural references than they are with Ghanaian culture.
This is not because Ghana lacks stories worth telling, but because stories that are not consistently told, produced, and distributed eventually become invisible.
Film is soft power.
Countries use cinema to shape perceptions, influence culture, attract tourism, and promote national identity. Hollywood has done it for America, Bollywood for India, and Nollywood is doing it for Nigeria. Ghana once had that opportunity but failed to maximise it.
The Cost of Nostalgia
One of the greatest dangers facing the Ghana film industry is excessive nostalgia. Industry conversations often begin with phrases such as:
• “Those were the good old days.”
• “We used to be ahead of Nigeria.”
• “Nigerians learned filmmaking from us.”
While these statements contain elements of truth, they do not resolve today’s challenges.
No audience buys a movie ticket because of what happened thirty years ago. Streaming platforms do not invest in content because of past achievements, and no investor funds a project based solely on historical prestige. The market rewards current relevance.
The uncomfortable truth is that audiences do not owe Ghanaian filmmakers their attention simply because Ghana once led the industry. Attention must be earned repeatedly through compelling stories, high production quality, effective marketing, and consistent delivery.
The future belongs to creators who understand today’s audience, not yesterday’s.
Lessons from Nollywood
There is much Ghana can learn from Nollywood’s success:
1. Embrace Entrepreneurship: Many Nigerian filmmakers stopped waiting for perfect conditions. They produced films with available resources, learned from mistakes, reinvested profits, and gradually scaled up their operations.
2. Master Distribution: A great film that nobody sees is a failed business product. Nigerian producers continuously searched for new ways to reach consumers, from VHS tapes, VCDs, and DVDs to satellite television and streaming platforms.
3. Build Stars and Brands: Actors, directors, and production companies became brands. Audiences began following not just individual films, but the people behind them, creating loyalty and sustained demand.
4. Export Aggressively: The industry targeted African markets, diaspora viewers, and international audiences, a strategy Ghana can adopt while maintaining its unique identity.
What Must Change
To remain competitive and relevant, it is worth looking at Nokia’s current trajectory. Nokia did not fade away; it pivoted to focus on developing telecommunication infrastructure, such as 5G and 6G technologies, and partnered with entities like NVIDIA to research semiconductors, a critical technology for the digital era.
If Ghana’s film industry is serious about rebuilding, several foundational changes are necessary:
Develop Stronger Stories: Technology matters, but storytelling matters more. Many modern productions focus heavily on equipment and visual aesthetics while neglecting script development. Investment in screenwriting workshops, script development programmes, and story incubation initiatives is essential.
Build Sustainable Financing: Many filmmakers spend years searching for funding before production even begins. The industry needs private investment, film funds, sponsorships, grants, and public-private partnerships. Without capital, creativity struggles to flourish.
Embrace Digital Distribution: The future audience lives online. Filmmakers must master streaming, video-on-demand platforms, and social media marketing. Producing a film is only half the job; getting it seen is the other half.
Prioritise Professionalism: Investors are attracted to industries that operate professionally. Clear contracts, transparent accounting, project management systems, and strong business practices are just as vital as artistic talent.
Invest in Training: The industry requires a continuous cycle of training for writers, editors, cinematographers, sound designers, producers, visual effects artists, and marketers. Furthermore, strategic international partnerships with countries that have successfully scaled their industries are critically important.
A New Vision for Ghanaian Cinema
The goal should not be to blindly copy Nollywood, nor should it be to simply relive the glory days of the 1990s. The goal is to create a distinctly Ghanaian film industry that competes globally while remaining deeply rooted in local stories.
Ghana’s rich history, diverse cultures, folklore, music, literature, and contemporary social realities provide an endless supply of stories. What is needed is vision:
• Vision to think beyond the next production.
• Vision to build institutions instead of relying solely on individual successes.
• Vision to create an industry rather than a scattered collection of filmmakers.
Conclusion: Why the Nokia Comparison?
The Nokia comparison reminds us that leadership is never permanent. Being first does not guarantee staying first, and past success does not ensure future relevance.
Yet, Nokia’s story also teaches us that even after losing dominance, a brand can restructure, adapt, and find new areas of relevance. The Ghana film industry can do the same.
The talent is still here. The stories are still here. The audience is still here. What remains uncertain is whether the industry can unite around a common vision and adapt to the realities of the twenty-first century.
If it can, the story of Ghanaian cinema will not be one of terminal decline, but one of powerful reinvention. And that may prove to be the most compelling Ghanaian story of all.
