Nigerian filmmaker Niyi Akinmolayan has suggested a new business opportunity that could bring classic Nollywood films and television programmes back to life through artificial intelligence.
In a recent Instagram post, the filmmaker encouraged entrepreneurs to explore the use of AI tools to restore and improve the quality of old Nigerian movies originally released on VHS tapes and Video CDs (VCDs).
He also suggested that popular television programmes previously broadcast on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) could benefit from similar restoration efforts.
“Someone should start a business using AI tools to restore and revitalize old nollywood films that were made on VHS and VCD,” he wrote.
According to Akinmolayan, the technology needed for such a project is already available. He believes restoring these productions and making them available to audiences again could create another source of income for the filmmakers who originally produced them.
However, he raised an important question about whether copies of these old films and television programmes are still available.
His suggestion has attracted positive reactions from social media users, with several expressing interest in watching improved versions of Nollywood classics.
One Instagram user described the proposal as a brilliant idea, while another said they would be willing to pay to watch high-definition versions of old Nkem Owoh movies.
For many Nigerians, classic Nollywood films remain an important part of their childhood memories. Before streaming platforms became popular, VHS tapes and VCDs were among the main ways families watched Nigerian movies at home.
Films from that period helped establish Nollywood as a major entertainment industry, introducing audiences to actors, stories, and characters that remain memorable today.
However, many of these productions were recorded or distributed in formats that do not meet modern viewing standards. Some surviving copies have poor picture quality, distorted sound, or other technical problems.
With advances in artificial intelligence, digital restoration tools can now assist with reducing visual noise, improving image clarity, stabilising footage and enhancing audio quality.
Although these tools cannot always recover details missing from the original recordings, they could make some older productions more enjoyable for today’s audiences.
Beyond improving picture quality, the idea also raises questions about preserving Nigeria’s film history.
Restoring classic Nollywood movies could help introduce younger audiences to productions they may never have watched, while giving older viewers an opportunity to revisit familiar stories.
It could also create new commercial opportunities through licensed digital releases, streaming platforms and other distribution channels, provided the necessary rights are secured.
However, such a project would require access to surviving recordings, permission from copyright owners and careful restoration to preserve the original character of the films.
Akinmolayan, who has previously spoken about the opportunities artificial intelligence presents for Nigerian filmmakers, continues to advocate the use of technology to improve storytelling and production.
His latest suggestion brings attention to another possible application of AI in Nollywood, one focused not on creating new films but on preserving productions that helped build the industry.
While no specific restoration project has been announced, the conversation raises an important question about the future of Nigeria’s film heritage.
Could artificial intelligence help a new generation rediscover the Nollywood classics that shaped Nigerian entertainment?
