The Role of the NFVCB in the Nigerian Film Industry

The National Film Video Censors Board is the regulatory body set up by Act No.85 of 1993 to regulate films and video industry in Nigeria. The Board is empowered by law to classify all films and videos whether imported or produced locally. It is also the duty of the Board to register all films and video outlets across the country and to keep a register of such registered outlets among other functions such registered outlets among other functions across the country and to keep a register of such registered outlets among other functions.

The functions of the Board are:
1.To license a person to exhibit films and video works,
2.To license a premises for the purposes of exhibiting films and video works,
3.To censor and classify films and video works;
4.To regulate and prescribe safety precautions to be observed in licensed premises;
5.To regulate and prescribe safety precautions to be observed in licensed premises;
6.To regulate and control cinematographic exhibitions; and
7.To perform such other functions as are necessary or expedient for the full discharge of all or any of the functions conferred on it by this Decree.The establishment of the Board therefore empowers it to assess, classify and register films and video works and the film outlets across the country monitor the films and film outlets.

As priority intervention mechanisms, the Board has delineated additional action items to:
1.Organize training programmes focusing on new content development, aimed at institutionalizing international best practices in film production.
2.Organize international conferences on film censorship/classification: impact on society and development.
3.Draft and successfully implement new national distribution policy to transform the industry and ensure increased independent productions get access to the market.
4.Launch new censorship and classification guidelines to aid filmmakers, and professionalize NFVCB operations.
5.To regulate and prescribe safety precautions to be observed in licensed premises;
6.Ensure wider community acceptance and confidence in our classification decisions.
7.Increase monitoring and enforcement activities to curb release of such movies into the market without NFVCB approval.
8.Institute stringent sanctions for such violations.
9.Institute reward mechanisms for the production of “positive” themed movies, such as advance production grants, lower censorship charges for advocacy movies, etc.

Source: nfvcb