E247mag reports: Veteran Nollywood actor Yemi Solade has sparked heated conversations in the entertainment industry after boldly declaring that no Nigerian actress can afford a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon from acting income alone.
The award-winning actor, who spoke on the Honest Bunch podcast, stressed that the financial reality of Nollywood makes it impossible for performers to rely solely on acting wages to fund such luxury cars. According to him, even if an actress earns as much as ₦50 million from movie roles, it still falls short of the amount required to purchase and maintain a G-Class vehicle, which is considered a status symbol among Nigerian celebrities.
“Acting alone can’t bring such earning,” Solade said firmly. “They must have other streams of income. In most cases, it is either side hustles, production investments, or simply gifts that make such cars possible.”
The veteran star, who has featured in several blockbuster films and built a reputation for speaking his mind, argued that Nollywood’s financial structure has never supported extravagant lifestyles. He noted that producers might make higher returns from projects, but actors themselves rarely take home the kind of money being flaunted on social media.
His comments have quickly gone viral, with many Nigerians debating the culture of luxury among entertainers and whether the industry’s pay gap encourages dependence on alternative sources of income. The G-Wagon, which costs hundreds of millions of naira in Nigeria, has become a symbol of success among Nollywood actresses.
With his latest outburst, Yemi Solade has once again placed Nollywood’s money question at the center of public debate, highlighting the gap between the glamour on screen and the financial struggles behind the camera.