AFFF 2025 Begins in Lagos, Aims to Unlock Africa’s $20bn Film Industry

The Africa Film Finance Forum (AFFF) will convene film industry stakeholders in Lagos, Nigeria, from September 16–18, 2025, to catalyze the growth of a $20 billion Pan-African film economy.

Bringing together filmmakers, investors, policymakers, financiers, distributors, and tech innovators, AFFF is forging a path to transform Africa’s rich storytelling heritage into a globally competitive industry.

Under the theme “Pan-African Film Economy: Building a $20B Industry for 1.4 Billion People,” the forum will create actionable strategies to connect creative talent with financial systems, policy frameworks, and technological innovation, driving economic impact across the continent.

“African storytelling is a cultural cornerstone, but its economic potential remains untapped,” said Convener of AFFF, Mary Ephraim-Egbas. “This forum will bridge creativity and capital, ensuring African stories fuel wealth creation and global influence while preserving our heritage.”

During the forum, 1,000 emerging Nigerian and African creative talents will gain access to rigorous, targeted training modules, structured mentorship engagements, and unparalleled networking opportunities within the film investment sectors.

The training is sponsored by the NNPC Foundation through the Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP), in collaboration with AFFF.

According to Ephraim-Egbas, AFFF 2025 will also feature key initiatives including: Investor’s Room & Deal Table, Certified Finance Training for Banks & Investors; Policy Roundtables to engage government leaders on aligning film with national development strategies and GDP growth; Cinetour session aimed at promoting Africa’s film locations to drive tourism and investment and FilmTech Track session to showcase technologies that enhance production, distribution, and transparency.

Commenting on the forum, Co-Chair of the AFFF PR and Strategic Communications Committee, Bolaji Abimbola, said: “Film is more than art—it’s economic infrastructure. AFFF is building systems to create jobs, boost exports, and position Africa as a global content powerhouse.”

Fellow Co-Chair, Clarina De Freitas, added, “This is the moment for Africa’s stories to shape the global market. With the right financing and platforms, our narratives can drive prosperity and ownership for Africans.”

The Africa Film Finance Forum (AFFF) is the continent’s leading platform dedicated to mobilizing capital, knowledge, and partnerships to accelerate the growth of Africa’s film and creative economy.

It brings together investors, storytellers, development institutions, and governments to shape a sustainable and globally relevant industry.