14 Months after commissioning, Kwara’s multi-billion naira Sugar Film Factory yet to produce any movie, generates zero revenue
Yemi Sodeeq & Toheeb Omotayo
Fourteen months after its commissioning, Kwara’s multi-billion naira Sugar Film Factory, launched as one of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s legacy projects to boost the state’s creative and economic industries, is yet to successfully produce a single major project. Despite its state-of-the-art facilities, the studio has failed to generate any revenue and is facing significant operational challenges. With its ‘much PRed’ Durbar documentary and Dancinematic Universe series halted, and employees owed several months of unpaid salaries, concerns mount about the facility’s future. Despite this, the state government is planning to invest an additional N1.6bn into the facility in 2025.
“So far, so good. I am impressed. More equipment is coming in. Very soon, we will start film production in the state, and people will be coming in from outside the state to do the last-mile production of their movies. This will be a great boost to the economy,” These were the words of Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in October 2023 when he visited the Kwara Sugar Film Factory, which was nearly completed at the time.
The factory was eventually commissioned by the governor for operation in December 2023. It is one of the projects financed through the N27.2 billion bond taken by the current administration.
The facility was touted as a groundbreaking project in the West African region, signaling the government’s focus on advancing the creative industry both within Kwara and beyond.
According to a statement from the governor’s spokesperson, Rafiu Ajakaye, in October 2023, the Sugar Film Factory is equipped with a cyclorama studio, two TV production studios, a large independent film production studio, green rooms, makeup facilities, training rooms, photography studios, co-working offices, building suites, and a large canteen.
Damilola Yusuf Adelodun, the Kwara State Commissioner for Business, Innovation, and Technology, explained two months later that the factory was established to nurture talent, explore the business aspects of entertainment and culture, and serve as a training institute for aspiring entertainers.
She stated, “You can do news, podcasts, movie production, and more. They also have a training institute where they train talents, youths, actors, producers, writers, and many others in various areas of the entertainment industry.”
Damilola Yusuf Adelodun
She further explained, “We are linked to the Sugar Factory because we are focused on the business of entertainment—to generate talent and also boost IGR (Internally Generated Revenue).”
However, 14 months later, the prospect of shooting world-class movies and generating substantial revenue remains a distant goal. The facility continues to face significant challenges in fulfilling its mission as a film production and economic hub.
An inside source familiar with things at the facility told The Informant247, “We offer services like equipment rentals, podcast recordings, and access to our swing set for productions, but the prices are too high for the local market. The swing set, for example, has only been rented once because the cost is prohibitive for most people.”
The source also mentioned that the studio has consistently rejected creative production ideas, leaving staff members without meaningful tasks. “There’s no direction or vision here. We come in every day, but there’s no real work happening. It feels like the studio is just sitting idle.”
As a result, many employees are left without pay and without communication from the studio management. “It’s been five months since we stopped receiving our salaries, and we haven’t gotten any updates. We’re stuck with no answers and no work,” the source added.
A popular comedian from Ilorin, who wished to remain anonymous, when interviewed by The Informant247 pointed out the pricing disparity between the Sugar Factory Film Studios and other industry players as one of the major reasons for the low patronage.
“Podcast recording sessions are priced at N300,000 per session, which is much higher than what most top studios in Lagos charge. They charge N150,000 or even less. It’s pricing people out of using the facility. I personally met with the GM to explain why he should make the place more affordable, but he seems uninterested in our discussions. The only thing running there is their clubhouse.”
Factory’s major projects stalled
In May 2024, the factory partnered with the Ilorin Emirate Grand Durbar to provide full coverage of the 2024 Durbar activities.
“The factory will positively project the Ilorin Emirate Durbar and showcase the rich culture and economic benefits that can be derived, especially for the international community. I believe this will help erase some of the erroneous notions about Africa,” said Mr. Gbenga Titiloye, Managing Director of the factory.
The state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, also reinforced this during his visit to the Emir for the annual Bareke celebration the following month.
“It is gratifying to mention that our iconic Sugar Film Factory is currently producing a documentary on the Ilorin Durbar as a national cultural heritage. We believe the Ilorin Durbar is long overdue for designation by UNESCO,” he said.
In September 2024, a statement posted on the state government’s website announced a new project: the ‘Dancinematic Universe,’ which was set to launch in October. Described as the first of its kind in the industry, the series aimed to combine the creative energy of music videos with the cinematic grandeur of feature films, using creative dance storytelling. The pilot project, set within a fictional universe, was titled The Big Bang.
The statement further explained that the project would offer a unique and immersive world-building experience through transmedia storytelling, promising to bring something entirely new to the Nigerian creative industry.
However, multiple sources told The Informant247 that both projects have been stopped.
“The Ilorin Durbar Festival documentary has been stopped. We finished shooting, but for the last six months, the MD has not given approval for the editing team to start work. So, the documentary isn’t going anywhere,” said the source. “The Dancinematic Universe series is also stalled because the partner has withdrawn. Nothing is working now.”
The source further emphasized the lack of progress, stating, “With these key initiatives on hold, it’s hard to see where this facility is headed at the moment.”
Workers owed four months’ salary
One of the workers at the facility who spoke to Informant247 on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak, disclosed that almost all employees are currently owed over four months’ salary. This, according to her, has caused significant unrest among the staff, with many choosing to leave the organization due to financial strain.
“It’s becoming increasingly difficult to stay motivated when we aren’t being paid for months of work,” the source said.
Despite setbacks, govt plans to spend additional N1.6bn on facility
According to the state government’s third-quarter report, N154,869,059 was spent on the project’s completion and contract management between January and September 2024.
Further checks revealed that the facility had not generated any revenue during the period under review.
Despite this, in its 2025 approved budget, the government has allocated N1,595,130,941 for the continued completion and contract management of the facility.
“Why are you asking about someone’s business revenue?”: MD
When contacted for comment, the Managing Director of the Sugar Film Factory Studios, Mr. Olagbenga Titiloye, declined to provide any response.
When asked why the film factory has failed to generate any revenue, he replied, “I can’t answer that question. Why are you asking about the revenue of someone else’s business?”
When asked if the facility had completed any productions in the past 14 months, he abruptly ended the call and did not respond to subsequent messages.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this report stated that the government took N35 billion bond. This was inaccurate. The government proposed a N35 billion bond but eventually accessed N27.2 billion. We apologise for the minor error.
