Iyke Bede
Recently, video-sharing platform TikTok rolled out the red carpet to Nollywood stakeholders and digital trailblazers in the film and television niche for an exclusive evening of #WhatToWatch Cinema Experience, an experience uniting cinemas and social media.
The #WhatToWatch Cinema Experience spotlighted how filmmakers and film social media influencers can leverage the platform for visibility of their projects, which in turn extends the influence of Nollywood in the global film space through the power of the ubiquitous hashtag that has already seen over 5 million global videos published to date, with the trend growing rapidly in Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for over 365,000 new posts in the first half of 2025 alone.
The experience worked toward establishing a physical, intimate connection with these creators, whom the platform is actively building relationships with for future growth of the industry, following a year of educational efforts that included virtual masterclasses, in-app campaigns with cash prizes, and promo coupons to support and boost creator content.
A fireside chat with Nollywood celebrity and actress Toyin Abraham was the evening’s major highlight. Through her lens as an active TikTok user who often uses the platform to provide more depth for her campaigns, the session provided emerging creators with first-hand insights into leveraging the platform, particularly for cinematic promotion.
The actress lauded the platform’s algorithm for providing organic insights and pushing her content to the right audiences. She said:
“TikTok has been an amazing tool for publicity. Creators record and remix parts of my films, turning short clips into viral content, and this gives my productions widespread, cost-effective publicity.”
She added that TikTok Live has been a useful way for her to earn, and appreciates that the platform makes it available to creators.
The evening was also an immersive cinematic experience. It featured a special screening of the new film ‘Behind the Scenes’ by Nollywood actress Funke Akindele, who is famed for her film promotional content on social media. The film was met with excitement and praise from attendees, emphasising its production quality and emotional depth.
“The #WhatToWatch Cinema Experience is more than just a thank you; it’s a commitment to the growth and professionalism of our emerging film creators. We saw first-hand tonight the immense power they have to drive culture, not just within the app, but by filling cinema seats and shaping the global view of Nollywood. We are proud to invest in the talent that is defining the next era of entertainment discovery,” Content Operations, Sub-Saharan Africa, TikTok, Boniswa Sidwaba, concluded.
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