The Kunle Afolayan Film Village and Resort, Igbojaye, Oyo State, has graduated 20 young creatives from Benin Republic following an intensive cross-border training programme aimed at strengthening Africa’s creative economy.
The participants, who had earlier received training in Cotonou, Benin Republic, completed their practical residency at the film village as part of a 12-week initiative focused on skills development, professional exposure and cultural exchange.
The programme was implemented under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Kunle Afolayan Film and Television Academy and the Government of the Republic of Benin.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the founder of the film village and renowned filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, urged the beneficiaries to deploy the knowledge and skills acquired during the programme towards transforming the African film and creative industry.
Afolayan stressed the need for sustained investment in the creative sector, particularly through stronger government support, infrastructure development and opportunities capable of enabling young talents to compete favourably on the global stage.
He said the creative industry remained a significant component of Africa’s economic development, with enormous potential for employment generation, cultural diplomacy and wealth creation.
The event also featured the graduation of participants in the Pan-African Filmmaking Boot Camp, alongside a film premiere and the unveiling of ITAN, an initiative designed to foster collaboration among stakeholders in Africa’s creative ecosystem.
ITAN is expected to bring together filmmakers, television practitioners, policymakers, investors, distributors, broadcasters, technology companies and cultural institutions from across Africa and the global African creative community.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening partnerships within the creative sector and positioning Africa more prominently in the global film and television industry.
Also speaking at the event, veteran filmmaker and cinematographer, Tunde Kelani, charged the young creatives to remain committed to excellence, discipline and continuous learning as they begin their professional careers.
Kelani urged them to embrace the challenges of the creative industry as opportunities to sharpen their skills and develop original stories capable of projecting Africa’s cultural heritage to the world.
Actor Ibrahim Shatta also encouraged the graduates to remain focused and resilient, noting that success in the creative industry requires dedication, consistency and the ability to overcome setbacks.
The graduation marked the culmination of weeks of intensive theoretical and practical engagement designed to equip the participants with industry-relevant skills and expose them to professional filmmaking practices.
With the successful completion of the programme, the organisers expressed optimism that the emerging filmmakers would use their training to contribute meaningfully to the growth of Africa’s creative economy.
They also reiterated the call for increased investment and institutional support to enable Nigeria’s creative industry to harness its vast potential and compete more effectively in the global market.