Donald Trump Plans 100% Tax on Nollywood and Other Foreign Movies

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has said he wants to put a 100% tax (called a tariff) on movies made outside the United States, including those from Nollywood (Nigeria’s film industry). He shared this idea in a post on Sunday. Trump said he told the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to begin the process of adding this tax to all films made in other countries.

Trump said this decision is meant to help Hollywood, America’s movie industry. He believes Hollywood is in serious trouble and is “dying quickly” because of competition from foreign countries. These other countries, he claims, are doing things to attract American movie studios and filmmakers, which is hurting the U.S. industry.

In his own words on his Truth Social account, Trump wrote, “Other countries are offering all sorts of incentives to take our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood is being destroyed. This is a planned effort by other nations, and it is a national security threat. It’s also about propaganda and messaging.”

Trump Says Foreign Films Are Taking Over

Trump also said that the U.S. is not making many movies anymore, and that other countries are taking over Hollywood’s role. To fix this, he said movies that are not made in the U.S. should be taxed. According to Trump, if a foreign movie wants to avoid the 100% tariff, it should be made inside the U.S.

However, it is unclear whether this tax will also apply to Hollywood movies that are filmed in multiple countries. Trump did not explain how this would work.

This Is Not Trump’s First Attempt to “Save” Hollywood

Earlier in January, Trump made a similar move by choosing three actors Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight as special ambassadors. He said they would help him bring Hollywood business back from other countries. Trump said these actors would serve as his “eyes and ears” as he tried to bring back the “Golden Age of Hollywood.”

Hollywood Is Struggling

Hollywood has been going through a hard time. The COVID-19 pandemic, along with a major strike by actors and writers in 2023, caused big problems. Last year, Hollywood earned about $30 billion around the world. While that’s better than during the pandemic years (2020–2022), it’s still about 20% lower than before the pandemic. According to Gower Street Analytics, that was a 7% drop from the previous year.

Trump’s new tax idea could make things even more tense between the U.S. and other countries, especially since the U.S. already has tariffs on many other things like steel and cars.

What Does This Mean for Nollywood and Other Foreign Movie Industries?

If Trump puts a 100% tax on foreign movies, Nollywood and other movie industries outside the U.S. will face big problems. For Nollywood, it means that showing Nigerian movies in the U.S. would become much more expensive. This could lead to fewer people in the U.S. watching Nollywood films and fewer sales for Nigerian filmmakers.

It could also hurt teamwork between Nigerian filmmakers and U.S. producers. Many movie projects today involve people from different countries working together. If the tax is applied, these partnerships might stop.

Nollywood would have to change its plans. It may try to sell more movies in other countries, work out deals with distributors, or ask governments to help stop or change the tax.

Nollywood’s Importance to Nigeria’s Economy

Nollywood is not just an entertainment industry, it is also important for Nigeria’s economy. In 2024, Nollywood earned more than ₦3.5 billion (Naira) in local income. It is expected to grow even more, possibly reaching between ₦11 billion and ₦12 billion soon.

In global terms, Nollywood’s earnings could reach $65.65 million in 2025. By 2029, the value of the industry may go up to $80.20 million. A 100% tariff from the U.S. could make it harder to reach these goals.

In Summary

Trump’s plan to add a 100% tax on all foreign movies, including those from Nollywood, is part of his attempt to protect and rebuild Hollywood. But this move could hurt movie industries in other countries and reduce the variety of movies available to people in the U.S. If the plan goes ahead, it will likely affect how movies are made, sold, and watched around the world.