Nigerian filmmaker Jáde Osiberu has signed a three-year overall deal with Amazon Prime Video that will see her develop and produce original scripted TV series and feature films for the global streamer through her production company Greoh Studios.
One of Nigeria’s best-known and most successful director, Osiberu is behind such hit projects including Isoken (2017) and Sugar Rush (2019) and is the creator, co-writer and director of Amazon’s highly-anticipated new Nigerian original movie “Gangs of Lagos,” which Amazon is screening at the Toronto Film Festival this year.
Gangs of Lagos is set to launch as the first Nigerian Original exclusively on Prime Video later this year and is billed as a high-stakes, gritty, and hard-hitting action crime-thriller, with an authentic storyline centred on a group of friends who each have to navigate destiny, growing up on the bustling streets and neighbourhood of Isale Eko, Lagos.
“I am overjoyed with this collaboration and already feel like I’m part of the Prime Video and Amazon Studios family,” said Jáde Osiberu. “It will be an absolute pleasure to introduce Prime Video audiences to the most exciting talent and storylines Nigeria has to offer, and I’m looking forward to continuing to help elevate Nigerian stories on a global scale.”
The deal comes as Amazon doubles down on its investment in Nigeria, a key part of the group’s international expansion strategy. Prime Video is also now allowing customers to sign up in the local currency, the Naira. The local Prime Video service, priced at 2,300NGN ($5.50) per month, includes global original series and movies and Hollywood and Nollywood titles.
“Collaborating with visionary and respected talent is foundational to delivering a curated and elevated slate of Originals for our local audiences in Nigeria,” said Ned Mitchell, head of African and Middle East Originals, Prime Video and Amazon Studios. “It is a joy to announce our collaboration with Jáde Osiberu in a deal that is the first of its kind for us in Africa. We are constantly delighted by Jáde’s talent for weaving her visual magic and voice into heart-stopping storytelling and characters that sear into our memories, and together we will create authentically African hits for our Prime Video customers worldwide.”
