Production Company, Kunle Afolayan Production, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of Benin to deepen collaboration in film production, youth training and creative infrastructure development across West Africa.According to a statement made, the MoU was signed on Wednesday at the KAP Hub in Lagos, the creative headquarters of the Group owned by filmmaker Kunle Afolayan, following what both parties described as high-level engagements initiated by the Beninese Presidency.According to the statement, the signing marks a cross-border partnership aimed at strengthening African storytelling and positioning Benin as an emerging hub for audio-visual production on the continent.“In a landmark move set to redefine the future of African storytelling and cross-border creative collaboration, the KAP Group today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Lagos with the Republic of Benin, following a high-level invitation from the Beninese Presidency to establish a strategic partnership focused on transforming the audio-visual and film production landscape in the region.
The signing which took place at the KAP Hub, Kunle Afolayan’s one-stop creative centre and head office of the KAP Group, marks another major Pan-African collaboration by the Group, reinforcing its growing role in building strategic creative alliances across the continent aimed at strengthening African cinema, empowering youth, and developing globally competitive creative infrastructure,” the statement read.As part of preliminary engagements, Afolayan and Executive Director, ’Seun Soyinka, had last month led a management delegation to Cotonou for consultations with senior government officials and stakeholders in the country’s film and audio-visual sector.Discussions during the visit focused on frameworks to boost local content creation, enhance technical capacity and develop sustainable structures for cinematography and creative enterprise in the country.
A high-level delegation from Benin later formalised the agreement in Lagos.The statement added, “Following the directive of the Beninese President, a high-level government delegation formalised this partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and signalled the official commencement of this transformative collaboration.“Members of the visiting delegation include Sinatou Saka, Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for Media and Audiovisual Affairs; Coline-Lee Toumson-Venite, Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for Arts and Culture; Bassirou Ndiaye, CEO SOPA S.A, Faissol Gnonlonfin, Director of Cinema and Performing Arts at the Agency for the Development of Arts and Culture (ADAC), representing the Minister of Culture; and Meto Adoglo, Program Manager for Storytelling at Sèmè City. The host team was led by the Group CEO, the Executive Director and Professor Tunji Azeez, Head of School, KAP Film & Television Academy.”According to the parties, the partnership will focus on three key areas: co-production of films that promote African narratives and expand global reach; structured youth training across various aspects of filmmaking; and the development and operation of a film city in Ouidah, Benin.The delegation is also scheduled to tour the Group’s production facilities in Lagos and its KAP Film Village & Resort in Igbojaye-Komu, Oyo State, as part of activities lined up between February 19 and 22.Speaking on the development, Afolayan described the agreement as “a defining moment for African cinema, where visionary leadership, cultural authenticity, and creative enterprise converge to project our stories, our people, and our creative strength to the world in the most compelling way.”Also commenting, Saka expressed optimism about the collaboration.
She said, “We are finally happy to be working in partnership with Kunle Afolayan, especially in the area of capacity building.”
