Ghanaian actor Majid Michel says comparing Ghana’s film industry with Nigeria’s Nollywood is unfair, citing differences in population size
Veteran Ghanaian actor Majid Michel has described comparisons between Ghana’s movie industry and Nigeria’s Nollywood as unfair, arguing that the two countries’ population differences make such assessments unreasonable.
Michel made the remarks during a recent interview with Y107.9 FM in Accra, where he said Nigeria’s significantly larger population naturally creates a bigger pool of actors, filmmakers and other professionals in the entertainment industry.
The actor described the comparisons as “stupid”, maintaining that Nigeria’s population gives it a numerical advantage that Ghana cannot easily match.
“The comparison between us and Nigeria is such a stupid comparison to me. If you have 50 children and I have 5 children, the possibility that you will have more criminals, doctors, good children and filmmakers than me is very high,” he said.
Michel pointed to the population gap between the two West African countries as a major reason he believes comparisons between their film industries are misplaced.
According to the actor, Ghana has fewer than 40 million people, while Nigeria’s population exceeds 200 million.
He argued that a larger population naturally provides a broader pool of potential talent, making it more likely for Nigeria to have greater numbers of actors, filmmakers and other professionals.
“We are less than 40 million in Ghana. Nigeria is over 200 million, almost 300 million. So how on earth would you compare?” he asked.
“Why do they have more doctors than us? Mathematically, you should know why. So if Nigeria has more filmmakers than us, it only makes sense because they are way more than us,” Michel added.
Beyond the film industry, Michel argued that Ghana should also be cautious about comparing itself with more established countries in other areas.
He said differences in the length of time countries have spent developing their institutions and leadership systems should be considered when assessing their progress.
“It is also unfair for us to compare ourselves with any other established nation in the world. When it comes to leadership, we are adolescent,” he said.
Michel added that some countries had spent more than 300 years building their leadership structures and institutions, giving them advantages that Ghana was still working towards.
“There are countries that have been in leadership for over 300 years. They have built systems. We are way behind. So it is an unfair comparison,” he said.
His comments highlight the importance of considering population size, institutional development and available resources when assessing the performance of national film industries.
Nigeria’s Nollywood is one of Africa’s most prominent film industries, while Ghana also has an established filmmaking community with actors and productions that have attracted audiences across the continent.
Michel’s position is that the two industries should be assessed with their differing circumstances in mind rather than judged solely by their overall output.
