By By Habeeb Ibrahim
Despite the setbacks, Seven Doors, like Lisabi, appears to be doing well with massive viewership. It is currently the number one most-streamed movie on the platform and has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from viewers.
The growing restriction of Nigerian movies on Netflix has spurred a wave of piracy, with Nigerians abroad increasingly relying on bootleg streaming platforms like Movie Box and 9jaRock to access local content.
This development is raising concerns about revenue losses for filmmakers and the long-term impact on the industry.
A Nigerian abroad, responding to a post about piracy, stated, “We have moved to Movie Box. Useless people.” Platforms like Movie Box, where users download movies with data, and Telegram, which has been reported to host pirated episodes of shows like Seven Doors, are becoming alternatives.
“All episodes of Seven Doors are available for download on Telegram. I confirmed it myself,” said a concerned user, adding, “Sadly, I had to watch Lisabi on Telegram after two months of waiting for Netflix. I might do the same for Seven Doors.”
Netflix, which has become a popular platform for African films, is facing backlash for its delays and limited access to Nigerian titles.
According to Kayode Badmus, a journalist and critic, these gaps in service are driving viewers to illegal platforms. “Once people view on these illegal platforms, they start trusting them and look for other movies there,” he noted.
Beyond piracy, Netflix’s multiple-user policy has been flagged as contributing to revenue losses. “Nigerians have gotten comfortable using a single account for a dozen folks,” Badmus observed, suggesting Netflix tighten its account-sharing policies to minimize losses.
Despite the setbacks, Seven Doors, like Lisabi, appears to be doing well with massive viewership. It is currently the number one most-streamed movie on the platform and has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from viewers. The film’s success highlights the strong demand for Nigerian content, even amid accessibility challenges.
In response to a Facebook post suggesting that Netflix might be implementing restrictions for research purposes, journalist Sulaimon Mojeed-Sanni commented:
“They have done [the research] already. What they are doing now is overdo and depriving us of the enjoyment that should be the priority of an entertainment company like Netflix.”
The multiplier effect is alarming for the Nigerian film industry, which depends on streaming platforms like Netflix for revenue. The platform has been criticized for not providing timely access to local content, inadvertently nudging consumers toward piracy.
