Africa Film Finance Forum Unlocks Path to $20 Billion Film Economy

Posted on July 9, 2025

The Africa Film Finance Forum (AFFF) returns with renewed urgency and clarity of purpose, committed to unlocking the full economic potential of Africa’s film industry.

Scheduled to take place from September 16–18, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria, AFFF is shaping the roadmap for a $20 billion Pan-African film economy, rooted in storytelling, powered by finance, and scaled through industry.

With the theme “Pan-African Film Economy: Building a $20B Industry for 1.4 Billion People”, the forum brings together a cross-section of industry stakeholders, filmmakers, investors, policymakers, financiers, distributors, and tech innovators to design the systems that will transform creativity into structured capital growth.

“Storytelling began in Africa. Our myths, oral histories, and traditions have always been foundational,” said Mary Ephraim-Egbas, Convener of AFFF. “But to compete globally, Africa must move beyond telling stories to monetizing them by industrializing the film sector and positioning African content as both heritage and high-value export.”

For decades, African stories have shaped culture, inspired movements, and connected communities. Yet, the continent’s film economy remains largely informal and undercapitalized. AFFF is changing that narrative by building pipelines that link creative talent to financial tools, policies, and platforms.

Key features of AFFF 2025 include:

Investor’s Room & Deal Table: Curated spaces for pre-qualified film projects to meet financiers and pitch for funding.

Certified Finance Training for Banks & Investors: Equipping financial institutions to understand film as a viable asset class.

Policy Roundtables: Engaging government leaders on aligning film with national development strategies and GDP growth.

CINETOUR: A campaign spotlighting Africa’s diverse film locations as engines for tourism and investment.

FilmTech Track: Showcasing innovations driving efficiency, transparency, and scale in production and distribution.

“Unlocking a $20B industry starts with recognizing film as infrastructure—creative, economic, and strategic,” said Bolaji Abimbola, Co-Chair of the AFFF PR and Strategic Communications Committee.

“AFFF isn’t just about films; it’s about jobs, exports, digital platforms, and policy shifts that make growth inevitable.”

“This is Africa’s creative century,” added Clarina De Freitas, fellow Co-Chair. “Our stories are our leverage, but only when matched with financing, distribution, and institutional credibility.”

From informal markets to cinema screens, and from mobile streaming to cross-border co-productions, AFFF is focused on building a Pan-African film ecosystem—not one led by extractive interests, but by Africans who understand the value of their narratives and the necessity of owning their industries.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

KINGSLEY EBERE  The Council of Ezendigbo in Lagos State led by Eze Agbowodikeizu Nwalozie... Continue
MICHAEL AKINOLA    Daredevil armed robbers went on rampage in Igando area of Lagos,... Continue
    The Recharge Glo and Win bonanza 2 recently unveiled by Nigeria’s leading... Continue
The Shuwa Arab Community in Lagos State has issued a strong statement reaffirming their... Continue
COLLINS OPUROZOR In the ever-noisy theatre of social media activism, facts are often drowned... Continue
MAZI EJIMOFOR OPARA  Yesterday: The Governor’s inspection tour of ongoing road projects in Omagba... Continue
KINGSLEY EBERE  Police operatives from the Abattoir Division of the Lagos State Command have... Continue
The Executive Chairman of Onigbongbo LCDA, Lagos State, Hon. Moyosore Adebanjo, has approved the... Continue
Ojodu LCDA, Lagos State, ushered in a new era of grassroots governance yesterday with... Continue
  Organisers of the prestigious Nigeria Pitch Awards has congratulated the Nigerian Super Falcons... Continue

UBA


Access Bank

Twitter

Sponsored