MultiChoice Talent Factory Marks Eight Years of Creative Industry Investment, Partners on Masterclass Programmes Across Nigeria

MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) is deepening its eight-year investment in Nigeria’s creative industry with a capacity-building programme that will deliver 13 regional masterclasses, bringing specialised industry knowledge to film and television practitioners across the country.

The programme will see MTF collaborate with film festivals, guilds and industry organisations across different regions to deliver masterclasses covering various aspects of filmmaking and the content value chain. The sessions will provide both emerging talents and experienced professionals with opportunities to learn from industry experts, while sharpening and deepening their understanding of the evolving demands of the industry.

The first in the series kicked off on Monday, 24 August 2026, with the International Sales and Distribution Executive (ISDE) Masterclass delivered in partnership with the Nigerian International Film Summit (NIFS). Held under the theme, “From Script to Market: The Future of Cinema in Africa,” the masterclass brought together filmmakers, producers and other industry professionals for an in-depth conversation on the business of taking content from production to audiences and markets.

The partnership with NIFS is particularly relevant to MTF’s wider capacity-building objectives given the importance of understanding the commercial journey of a film beyond production. Through the ISDE Masterclass, participants explored international sales and distribution and how a stronger understanding of these areas can help professionals position their content, reach wider audiences and unlock greater commercial value from their work.

Speaking on the partnership, MTF Academy Director, Akaoma Onyeonoru, emphasised the importance of understanding the business of film alongside the creative process.

“It is one thing to make a movie and another thing for that movie to travel for the world to see ,” she said.

Onyeonoru noted that the ability of African stories to travel is important to how the continent tells and controls its own narratives, adding that effective distribution is critical to ensuring that African films reach audiences beyond their immediate markets.

She also commended participants for investing in themselves through the masterclass, noting that developing knowledge beyond the creative aspects of filmmaking can help professionals better understand the commercial opportunities around their work.

The masterclass featured industry experts including Kene Mkparu, President/CEO of KOMWORLD Cinemas and Studio KOM Film Production and Distribution; Funmi Onuma, Cinema Expert and Thought Leader; and Ijeoma Onah, Founder of NIFS and Film and TV Industry leader. Their sessions explored different aspects of the sales, distribution and commercial journey of film, providing participants practical perspectives that can be applied to their work.

The conversations continued on Wednesday, 26 August with the Africa Microdrama Summit, themed “The Future of Africa Storytelling: Powering Africa’s Mobile-First Entertainment Economy.” The panel brought together industry voices including Atinuke Babatunde, Executive Head, Content and Channels, West Africa, MultiChoice Nigeria; Ifeoma Oma Areh, Founder, Digital Creator Africa Academy (DCAA) for Microdrama; Brenda Fashugba, Co-Founder, Women in the Arts; Samira Hamidi, Country Manager, Digital Virgo; and Elija Afi, Co-Founder, Digital Creator Africa Academy (DCAA).

The discussion examined the growth of microdrama, changing audience behaviour and the opportunities for African storytellers within a mobile-first entertainment economy.

Speaking on audience consumption, Atinuke Babatunde noted that changing attention spans are influencing how audiences engage with content and creating opportunities for formats that can quickly capture and sustain their interest.

She said: “People are becoming increasingly impatient and their attention spans are shorter, so content that is bingeable tends to do well. Nigerians want to know what is happening from the moment they start watching, so the story has to pull you in quickly and keep you engaged. For us as an industry, the opportunity is to understand these changing consumption habits and think about how we can create stories that work for the way audiences are consuming content today.”

Babatunde also highlighted the potential for microdrama to find a place within established platforms, including Africa Magic, where viable productions could create additional programming opportunities.

For MTF, the NIFS partnership demonstrates the importance of equipping professionals with knowledge that responds to both the commercial realities and emerging opportunities within the industry.

Following the NIFS programme in Lagos, the MTF masterclasses will be staged in other parts of Nigeria including Ogun, Oyo, Imo, Abia, Delta, Rivers, Abuja and Kano. The sessions will be delivered in partnership with platforms including the Wole Soyinka Cultural Centre in Abeokuta, Ibadan International Film Festival, Pan-Atlantic University International Student’s Film Festival, Twin City International Film Festival, Rivers International Film Festival and Kano Indigenous Languages Film Festival.