The Nigerian music video director explains how early debt pushed him to raise his rates
Nigerian video director ThankGod Omori revealed on September 24, 2026, why he stopped charging cheap rates. Speaking on the Afropolitan Podcast, he detailed his early struggles with heavy debt and multiple crew duties. Those sacrifices in 2019 helped him build massive visual demand among top music stars.
ThankGod Omori has stunned music fans after revisiting the harsh financial risks of his early career. The top visual artist detailed how he risked personal ruin before commanding top fees.
On September 24, 2026, Omori appeared on the Afropolitan Podcast to share his journey. He recalled the days when Nigerian music video budgets sat at two million Naira. The music industry now pays top directors hundreds of thousands of dollars per shoot.
”Like 2019 I was shooting for like let’s say 1.5 2 million naira 7 years later people are charging in dollars like hundreds of thousands of dollars,” he said.
Sacrificing profit to master the craft
Omori cut down his crew costs by learning several production skills by himself. He handled lights, camera movement, and video editing to pour all available cash into grand sets.
”I had to sacrifice my profit to invest in sets I had to learn how to edit or I had to I had to perfect my editing I had to learn how to light I had to learn how to handle the camera So I was with that I was knocking off cost of labor even though it was a lot of stress on me,” he explained.
Omori endured intense physical stress for over two years while directing videos alone. He borrowed heavy sums of money to fund his ambitious creative ideas. The rising debt tested his courage, but he refused to lower his visual standards.
”So I was doing a lot of that for like 2 years It was a risky job because I was running into debt but my vision was very clear So I was just doing everything possible to make sure that I get value for the little money that I had for years which eventually pushed me to a lot of debt But it paid up later when I was now in so much demand you know,” he noted.
Building high market value through relentless work
His bold strategy paid off as leading Afrobeats stars soon queued for his distinct visual style. The director then raised his prices to reflect his unique position in the music industry.
”So I feel like the strategy for the business is do anything possible to be in demand So as long as you hit that level of demand don’t hesitate to make as much demand as you can make cuz that’s,” he concluded.
Omori now directs major projects for industry giants like Asake and Olamide with budgets reaching six figures. His story shows young creatives that early sacrifices can create lasting market power. He continues to shape Nigerian music videos through bold visions and unmatched energy.
