Nollywood actor Ibrahim Chatta has emerged as one of Nigeria’s highest-paid film stars, reportedly earning ₦5 million per movie appearance, according to veteran actor Mustapha Bakare Otolo.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the revelation came during a trending interview in which Otolo discussed the financial realities of the Nigerian film industry and the growing gap between new-generation stars and veteran actors.
In the viral clip, Otolo lamented how most seasoned actors struggle to compete in today’s movie economy, where production budgets and pay rates are heavily influenced by market demand, streaming platforms, and social media visibility.
He explained that while many veteran performers still earn between ₦250,000 and ₦300,000 per role, Chatta’s value has skyrocketed due to his versatility, box office appeal, and strong fan base across Yoruba and mainstream Nollywood circles.
“If Ibrahim Chatta appears on a movie set, he has been paid ₦5 million. That’s the amount he currently charges,” Otolo stated.
“He is the highest-paid actor presently. My point is that he can do up to 20 jobs in a month. I brought him to my movie, ‘Jigi’, shot in Ogbomoso recently,” he added.
Otolo’s comments have since stirred a wave of reactions across social media, with many fans debating whether Chatta’s growing fee reflects Nollywood’s evolution or a widening economic divide among its stars.
Industry observers note that Chatta’s rise symbolizes a shift in Nollywood’s pay structure, where demand, consistency, and digital influence often outweigh seniority or years of experience.
Ibrahim Chatta, who began his career in the early 2000s, has featured in over 200 films across both Yoruba and English genres, earning acclaim for his emotional depth, dynamic roles, and commitment to realism in storytelling.
Analysts say his reported fee mirrors broader trends in Nigeria’s creative industry, where leading actors like Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham, and Zubby Michael are also commanding multi-million-naira rates per project.
Fans on X (formerly Twitter) have praised Chatta for “breaking boundaries” and “proving that talent still pays in Nollywood,” while others argue that veteran actors deserve better pay and pension systems.
Otolo’s revelation has reignited public conversations about equity, funding, and professionalism in Nollywood, an industry now estimated to be worth over $6.4 billion and ranked among the top three global film producers by volume.
As the debate rages, Ibrahim Chatta continues to dominate the screen and headlines, a reflection of how far Nollywood has come, and how competitive it has become.