Nyong'o, who won the best supporting actress Oscar in 2014 for her role in "12 Years A Slave", had earlier come out in support of celebrities protesting against the lack of diversity at this year's nominations.
"It's a symptom of something else," the actress, 32, told the Today show.
"What we are asking for is really for more stories to be told. For inclusion in the stories that are told. I think that it's good for all of us when we hear a diverse number of stories and are able to experience more diversity. It's more reflective of the world we live in."