AFRIFF Film and Content Market Hopes to Build a Sustainable Regional Film Market

Despite its longevity and status as the world’s second-largest producer of films, the Nigerian film industry does not  have a film market. For decades, Nigerian filmmakers seeking international distribution and partnerships have taken individual paths to achieving this: submitting scripts to regional and international labs, and networking with sales agents, distributors, content aggregators, producers and investors at attending international film markets. This approach, due to its financial burden, has excluded many independent Nigerian producers from accessing platforms like the European Film Market, Marche du Film, and the American Film Market. In response, the African International Film Festival (AFRIFF)has launched the AFRIFF Film and Content Market, a regional initiative aimed at bridging this longstanding gap and creating a dedicated marketplace for Nigerian and African cinema. 

The AFRIFF Film and Content Market(AFCM) is a partnership with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy. It was officially announced during the recently-concluded Cannes Film Festival where the memorandum of understanding was signed by AFRIFF founder Chioma Ude and  Hannatu Musawa, Nigerian Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative economy, Nigerian Film Corporation Managing Director Ali Nuhu, Nigerian comedian Bovi Ugboma, and other key stakeholders.  

With consulting provided by Dennis Ruh, former European Film Market director, AFCM is ready to welcome creators, investors, distributors and policymakers from around the world during this year’s AFRIFF. As Ruh noted during his presentation at an info session and press conference held at Alliances Françaises to officially announce the AFRIFF market to Nigerians filmmakers, AFCM aims to be a regional market comparable to Asian Contents and Film Market, Hong Kong International Film and TV Market and Ventana Sur . 

The info session moderated by Latasha Ngwube had industry professionals, heads of Nigerian film professional bodies, directors of government institutions, policy makers and press in attendance. Director General of the National Film and Video Censors Board(NFCVB), Dr Shaibu Husseini‘s speech showered praise on AFRIFF organisers for its attempt at positioning Nigeria and Africa for global film trade. This praise was paired with an important message: the need for AFCM to organize a capacity building training for Nigerian filmmakers and producers hoping to attend the film market. Dr. Husseini’s advice is important when one contextualizes that the average Nigerian filmmaker and producer has not attended a local or international film market. The ethics and mannerism expected in an international film market which AFCM is positioning itself to be might be missing in most of the Nigerian filmmakers and producers who would be in attendance. 

To entice the info session attendees, the event held a panel session moderated by Mr. Victor Okhai featuring Chioma Onyenwa, Enyi Omeruah and Victor Sanchez Aghahowa. Their anecdotes-filled and practical sessions dwelled on the importance of attending international film markets, the opportunity it opens filmmakers to, and the advantages of listening rather than talking too much during pitch and networking sessions. Their session also reemphasized the need to educate Nigerian filmmakers and producers hoping to sell their ideas and films during AFCM. 

The Nigerian film market keeps shifting. Netflix and Prime Video’s exit meant filmmakers had to find alternative distribution channels. This inspired the creation of film distribution channels like Kava, Circuits, and EbonyLife ON Plus. The AFCM is another industry attempt at finding not just distribution but funding and networking opportunities for Nigerian filmmakers. However, with AFRIFF’s shifting attention towards spotlighting film business, what will be the fate of its already frowned upon curation and film screenings? With the film market happening simultaneously as the film festival, how will the AFRIFF’s team ensure a semblance of balance? With the list of the film market attendees yet to be announced, will AFCM lead to more international collaboration, distribution and funding opportunities in the future? How will AFCM’s relevance to the Nigerian and African film market be quantified? These questions will be answered during the AFCM starting from 3rd November to 6th November,  2025.