Renowned Nigerian filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has sealed a landmark collaboration between his company, Kunle Afolayan Productions (KAP) Group, and the Republic of Benin in a move aimed at strengthening cross-border creative development and advancing African cinema.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Lagos at the KAP Hub, the filmmaker’s creative headquarters, following an official invitation from the Beninese Presidency to establish a strategic partnership focused on transforming the region’s audiovisual and film production ecosystem. Eyes Of Lagos reports,
Both parties described the agreement as a significant milestone designed to leverage cinema, youth empowerment and creative enterprise as tools for cultural diplomacy, economic development and global positioning of African storytelling.
The partnership comes weeks after Afolayan, alongside KAP Executive Director Seun Soyinka, led a senior management delegation to Benin Republic, where discussions were held with government officials and key stakeholders in the country’s film and creative sectors.
The consultations focused on developing sustainable structures to boost local content creation, enhance technical expertise and position Benin as a growing hub for film production on the continent.
Following directives from the Beninese President, a high-level delegation travelled to Lagos to formalise the agreement.
Members of the delegation included presidential advisers on media, audiovisual, arts and culture, as well as representatives from cultural development agencies and creative institutions.
On the Nigerian side, the hosting team featured Afolayan, Soyinka and Professor Tunji Azeez, Head of School at the KAP Film & Television Academy.
The collaboration is structured around three major pillars:
Film Co-Production: Joint production of films that showcase authentic African narratives while expanding international market reach.
Youth Training and Capacity Development: Structured training programmes covering filmmaking, production and creative entrepreneurship.
Film Infrastructure Development: Establishment and operation of a world-class Film City in Ouidah, Benin Republic.
The initiative will also utilise the expertise of KAP subsidiaries, including KAP Motion Pictures, the KAP Film & Television Academy and the KAP Film Village & Resort in Igbojaye-Komu, Oyo State.
As part of the official activities scheduled between February 19 and 22, the Beninese delegation is expected to tour KAP’s production facilities in Lagos and the film village in Oyo State, which has become a model for integrated film production, training and cultural tourism in Africa.
Speaking on the agreement, Afolayan described the partnership as a defining moment for African cinema, emphasising the importance of collaboration in projecting African stories globally.
A representative of the Beninese government also expressed optimism about the partnership, particularly in the area of skills development and industry capacity building.
Both parties noted that the MoU marks the beginning of a long-term alliance aimed at raising standards in film production, creative education and cultural expression across Africa.