5 Cinematographers In Modern Nigerian Cinema

Nollywood seems to be experiencing an improvement in the visual and aesthetic quality of her productions, thanks to cinematographers and personnel of the art department. These cinematographers wield diverse hands-on techniques and strategies to manipulate the camera and produce work of commendable picture quality that has gained acceptance beyond the shores of Nigeria.

Here are five cinematographers who have contributed to the development of contemporary Nollywood and continue to shape the present and future of filmmaking culture in Nigeria and Africa.

Adekunle Adejuyigbe (Nodash)

Popularly known as Nodash, Adekunle Adejuyigbe is one of the most reputable cinematographers of the current generation in Nollywood. He has worked closely with Kunle Afolayan as a Director of Photography on films like Mokalik, The Bridge, and The Tribunal. He also worked as a DOP on MTV Shuga Naija, Love Is War, Who’s The Boss, and Cordelia as well as several documentaries and commercials. Apart from being in charge of the camera, he is a scriptwriter, film editor, and director. He currently runs his own production company, Something Unusual Studios, through which he produced his award-winning film The Delivery Boy in 2018. The Delivery Boy was recognized as the Best Nigerian film at the 2018 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF). Under the studio’s umbrella, he has been recruiting and grooming a technical team for productions in the past few years. This team contributed to the production of Isoken and Gidi Up Season 2.

Yinka Edward

An award-winning cinematographer and a graduate of the National Film and Television School (NFTS), England where he bagged a Master of Arts degree in film and television production, Yinka Edward has worked with directors like Izu Ojukwu, Kunle Afolayan, Genevieve Nnaji, ‘Mak Kusare and English filmmaker, Ethosheia HyltonIzu. His works include critically acclaimed Nollywood projects such as October 1, The Milkmaid, Lionheart, 93 Days, and Crime and Justice Lagos, winner of the Best TV Series at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards 2023. In 2010, he partnered with Kenneth Gyang and Tom Rowlands-Rees to form Cinema Kpatakpata, a film production company responsible for the release of Confusion Na Wa, which won the Best Picture prize at the 2013 Africa Movie Academy Awards, and This Is Lagos which debuted at AFRIFF 2023.

Jonathan Kovel

A graduate of the Columbia University Film School, Jonathan Kovel is a South African-based cinematographer who has traveled to different countries around the world, including Namibia, Peru, Mexico, France, Mozambique, Ireland, Swaziland, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kenya and Nigeria, in the practice of his craft. His presence in the Nigerian film industry is particularly established through his work with Kunle Afolayan on Netflix-commissioned projects like Citation, A Naija Christmas and Aníkúlápó. His Nollywood resume also includes La Femme Anjola, Shanty Town, Onye Egwu and The Party.

Ola Cardoso

Besides his expertise in cinematography, Ola Cardoso is also a creative director, music video director and the founder of Cardoso Imagery, a Nigerian film production company established in 2015. He has worked on several Nollywood projects such as Before 30, Banana Island Ghost, The Blood Covenant, God Calling, Slum King, and Breath of Life which won six categories at the 10th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA). His expertise and work also include TV commercials and documentaries, all of which establish his reputation as one of the most skilled professionals in the industry.

 Roberts O. Peters

Born in Kaduna, Roberts Peters is a Nigerian filmmaker, director, cinematographer, actor and the founder of Whitestone Filmworks, an African film production studio based in the United States of America where he has lived since 2005. For over twenty years, Peters has traversed the globe, collaborating with fellow filmmakers and working on several films, music videos, and television productions. As a cinematographer and director, he has worked on Nollywood films such as Shades of Attraction, Knocking on Heaven Door, Reflections, and Boxing Day, among others. He directed two of Nollywood’s highest-grossing films, 30 Days in Atlanta and A Trip To Jamaica, and has collaborated with several Hollywood and Nollywood industry professionals, such as Ramsey Noah, Richard Mofe-Damijo, AY Makun, Desmond Elliott, Nse Ikpe Etim, Majid Michel, Lisa Raye McCoy, Tangi Miller, Eric Roberts, Karlie Redd, and Anthony Ray Parker.