Kunle Afolayan Production Benin MoU signed in Lagos to boost film co-production, youth training and creative infrastructure in West Africa
Kunle Afolayan, founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of Kunle Afolayan Production, on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with senior representatives of the Republic of Benin at the KAP Hub in Lagos, formalising a cross-border partnership to deepen collaboration in film production, youth training and creative infrastructure development across West Africa.
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The agreement, described by both parties as a decisive step towards strengthening African storytelling, followed high-level engagements initiated by the Beninese Presidency.
The signing signals Benin’s ambition to position itself as an emerging hub for audio-visual production on the continent.
The Kunle Afolayan Production Benin MoU was formalised during a ceremony attended by a government delegation from Cotonou.
Members of the visiting team included Sinatou Saka, Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for Media and Audiovisual Affairs; Coline-Lee Toumson-Venite, Special Adviser to the President for Arts and Culture; Bassirou Ndiaye.
Chief Executive Officer of SOPA S.A; Faissol Gnonlonfin, Director of Cinema and Performing Arts at the Agency for the Development of Arts and Culture, representing the Minister of Culture; and Meto Adoglo, Programme Manager for Storytelling at Sèmè City.
The host team was led by Kunle Afolayan, Executive Director ’Seun Soyinka and Professor Tunji Azeez, Head of School at the KAP Film and Television Academy.
According to the statement, the partnership will focus on three core areas: co-production of films to amplify African narratives globally; structured youth training across filmmaking disciplines; and the development and operation of a film city in Ouidah, Benin.
The signing followed preliminary consultations last month in Cotonou, where Afolayan and Soyinka led a management delegation to meet senior government officials and stakeholders in Benin’s film and audio-visual sector.
Discussions centred on boosting local content creation, enhancing technical capacity and establishing sustainable frameworks for cinematography and creative enterprise.
The Beninese delegation is scheduled to tour the production company’s facilities in Lagos and its KAP Film Village and Resort in Igbojaye-Komu, Oyo State, between February 19 and 22 as part of activities marking the commencement of the collaboration.
Afolayan described the agreement as a defining moment for African cinema, stating that visionary leadership and cultural authenticity must converge to project African stories with global impact.
Saka expressed optimism about the partnership, particularly in the area of capacity building, noting that collaboration with the production company would support the development of local talent in Benin.
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The Kunle Afolayan Production Benin MoU represents one of the most ambitious creative alliances in the region in recent years, underscoring a growing drive among West African nations to build resilient cultural industries capable of competing on the world stage.
Mariam Balogun is a contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
