Ghanaian film producer and director Shirley Frimpong-Manso has said she is unimpressed with the number of views her films are attracting on YouTube, arguing that Ghanaian filmmakers could achieve more with greater support from local audiences.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z on October 24, 2026, she compared the performance of Ghanaian films with Nigerian productions on YouTube, noting that some Nigerian films attract millions of views within a week.

During the discussion, the host mentioned that 'For Love and Country' had recorded about 554,000 views a year after its release and asked whether she was impressed with the numbers.

“No, really. I think we could have done much better,” she responded.

She explained that Nigerian filmmakers were recording significantly higher numbers, with some productions attracting between five million and 15 million views within a week.

“If you see the kind of numbers these Nigerians are doing, it’s crazy. We’re talking about 5 to 10 million to 15 million views in a week,” she said.

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Although she acknowledged that Nigeria has a much larger population than Ghana, Shirley argued that the difference in audience size was not the only factor worth considering.

She questioned the level of support Ghanaian audiences give local films, particularly when some people complain about the lack of Ghanaian movies.

“Obviously, Nigeria is much, much bigger than Ghana. So, I mean, when we’re talking about numbers, we can’t even compete. But I also think that, when you continue to hear people say, ‘Oh my God, where are the Ghanaian movies?’ And yet they haven’t gone to support these films, then you’re kind of scratching your head and thinking, exactly what is it that Ghanaians want?” she asked.

According to her, she and her colleagues have visited Nigeria several times, worked there, premiered films and conducted business, giving them the opportunity to observe the country’s film industry.

She noted that the Nigerian film industry also faces challenges, stressing that success does not come easily. However, she said the level of support Nigerians give films released online is noticeable.

“I’ve been to Nigeria many times. James has been, we’ve been there, we’ve worked there, we’ve premiered there, we’ve done business there. It is not a bed of roses. But you can immediately see the kind of support that these Nigerians put behind the content that they have online,” she said.

Shirley believes Ghanaian audiences need to develop a habit of supporting locally made productions, particularly when filmmakers are making efforts to create content for them.

“And so, for me, I think it also comes down to the thinking behind, ‘Okay, we’ve got our own and we need to support.’ Even if it doesn’t get to that, you know, it’s not at that standard yet,” she added.

Shirley Frimpong-Manso, Film Producer/Director, says she is unimpressed with the views her films are getting on YouTube compared to Nigerian films, arguing that Ghanaians do not support their own. 🇬🇭🎬

#ShowbizAtoZ https://t.co/3hHyq81ans

— Joy 99.7 FM (@Joy997FM) October 24, 2026