Can the Netflix model ever work in Africa? iROKOtv says maybe not 🎬

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Despite rumors circulating on social media, Nigerian streaming platform iROKOtv hasn’t shut down. Founder Jason Njoku addressed the speculation on X (formerly Twitter) on June 6, 2025, making it clear: the platform is still up and running—though it looks very different than it used to. This isn’t a goodbye, but rather a strategic pivot from one of Africa’s original streaming pioneers.

Still online, just not the same 💻

The iROKOtv app is still available for download, but it hasn’t accepted naira payments since 2023. The company has since shifted its focus to international users, who now pay in US dollars. So no, the platform hasn’t shut down—it’s simply adapting to the challenges of monetizing in an increasingly tough local market.

In a detailed blog post from late March 2025, Njoku reflected on 15 years of building iROKOtv. While some interpreted the message as a sign of closure, it was more of a candid take on the limits of the subscription model in Africa—especially in Nigeria.

Big vision, harsh realities 📉

When it launched in 2011, iROKOtv set out to be Africa’s answer to Netflix, aiming to bring Nollywood films to digital audiences around the world. With over $100 million raised and a massive library of local content, the platform seemed destined for success.

But even with low subscription fees, Nigerian users didn’t flock to the service. According to Njoku, the issue wasn’t funding or content—it was the market itself. With tight household budgets and other essentials taking priority, monthly subscriptions simply didn’t make sense for many consumers.

Free content and the rise of YouTube 📺

In the end, user habits trumped innovation. YouTube, with its free and accessible model, won over Nigerian movie fans. Many local creators chose YouTube as their main distribution channel, where revenue is tied to ads instead of subscriptions.

This undercut iROKOtv’s model—especially when films released on its paid platform popped up for free on YouTube just days later. In that context, asking users to pay for content felt like an uphill battle.

Rethinking the model for Africa 🔁

For Njoku, this partial failure came with hard but valuable lessons. Trying to force-fit a Western-style subscription model into a market where data is expensive and paid streaming is still unfamiliar turned out to be a strategic misstep. He now says he has no intention of returning to the subscription model in Africa, and is exploring other ways to distribute and monetize content.

So no, iROKOtv isn’t going away. It’s just evolving, with new markets and new priorities. This isn’t the end of the story—it’s just a new chapter shaped by the economic realities on the ground.

👉🏾 Do you think the subscription model can ever work in Africa? Let us know what you think.