The Game-Changing Impact of Shanty Town: A Conversation with Ini Edo

Nollywood icon Ini Edo graced Deadline's Red Sea Studio in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss the groundbreaking success of "Shanty Town", a Netflix series that has redefined the Nigerian filmmaking industry. Edo, who starred in and co-produced the series, shared profound insights into the production journey, its societal impact, and its potential to reshape the narrative around Nigerian cinema on the global stage.

“One of the major problems we have faced in Nigeria as a filmmaking industry has been funding,” Edo revealed during the interview. “So, the success of "Shanty Town" really made people in the private sector start to realize that this can actually be a commercial success, and this is a business worth investing in and…we can actually get global acceptability.”

Vin Diesel with Ini Edo at the Red Sea Film Festival 2024

Indeed, "Shanty Town" has become Netflix Africa’s most-watched Nigerian drama, an impressive feat that has sparked widespread attention from investors and solidified Nollywood’s global appeal. The series’ co-production with Chichi Nworah and an ensemble cast—featuring heavyweights like Chidi Mokeme, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Sola Sobowale, Nancy Isime, Shaffy Bello, and Ali Nuhu—created a compelling narrative that captivated audiences worldwide. With its storyline centered around courtesans striving to escape a kingpin’s grasp amidst political corruption and family entanglements, the series resonated deeply, ranking in Netflix’s Top 10 in eight countries, including the UK.

Edo described the production process as “pretty intense…and something, perhaps for us, that had never been done before.” This intensity paid off, as the series achieved unprecedented levels of technical and storytelling excellence. “I think the originality of the story was a driving factor and also, we did a lot of upscaling with the technical quality of the series,” she said. “We took very special interest in the cinematography, the sound, the scoring, and it was a story that resonated a lot with the times that we filmed it.”

Beyond its technical brilliance, "Shanty Town" tackled pressing societal issues. According to Edo, the series

“shed light on the underworld as much as you’re trying to drive the original narrative of the Nigerian story.”

By addressing social vices and challenges facing African societies, the show struck a universal chord, resonating with audiences far beyond Nigeria.

Eva Longoria with Ini Edo at the Red Sea Film Festival 2024

The ripple effects of "Shanty Town’s" success have been monumental.

“The project has caused investors to open up some more,”

Edo acknowledged. Moreover, the Nigerian government has started to take Nollywood more seriously, recognizing the industry’s potential as a significant economic and cultural driver.

“They’ve started paying attention to the industry,”

she noted.

For an industry historically hampered by limited funding and inadequate infrastructure, "Shanty Town" represents a pivotal moment. It is a beacon of what is possible when creativity, investment, and storytelling align. As Ini Edo’s words echo, the success of "Shanty Town" is not just a win for Nollywood but a testament to the untapped potential of African cinema. It serves as a call to action for private and public sectors to invest in stories that inspire, challenge, and connect with audiences worldwide.