Veteran actor, Francis Duru has said Yoruba filmmakers dominate Nigerian cinemas and digital platforms because they protected their stories, invested together and adapted to new markets, while Igbo-language cinema has lagged behind.

Speaking in an interview on the Gbam show, Duru argued that Yoruba producers created opportunities for themselves and used them well. He said they pooled resources, backed their own people and built a Yoruba-centric industry that now occupies major cinema windows and streaming catalogues.

“When they say charity begins at home, that’s what has happened to the Yorubas. We need to learn from them. If you don’t protect your own, if you don’t project your own, who will do it?” he said.

Duru added that it was “shameful” how few Igbo films on platforms such as Netflix speak clearly of Igbo heritage. He urged Igbo filmmakers not to be angry at Yoruba success but to ask why they failed to occupy the new market space when it opened.

His comments add to a wider industry debate about language cinema, investment and who controls their most visible slots on cinema screens and global streaming services.