Afreximbank Appoints One Street Studios to Co-Manage African Film Fund Targeting Up to $1 Bln

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), through its development impact investment arm, the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), has appointed One Street Studios as co-general partner of the African Film Fund, a vehicle designed to mobilize up to $1 billion for Africa's film and creative industries.

Launched in May 2025 under Afreximbank's Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) initiative, the fund aims to channel long-term capital into Africa's film, television, and immersive media sectors, positioning the continent as a globally competitive hub for audiovisual production and storytelling.

The fund will invest across the industry's value chain, supporting a diversified portfolio that includes content production, production infrastructure, post-production, digital distribution, and exhibition. Financing will be provided through a combination of equity, quasi-equity, and structured finance solutions tailored to the needs of creative industry projects.

According to Afreximbank, priority will be given to export-oriented productions with strong international distribution potential, supported by partnerships with film studios, streaming platforms, and distributors to create a pipeline of commercially viable projects.

Beyond financing, the African Film Fund aims to address structural challenges facing the continent's audiovisual sector by investing in every stage of the production ecosystem. The strategy includes expanding studio capacity, strengthening post-production facilities, enhancing global distribution networks, and supporting the development of digital streaming platforms.

Under the partnership, FEDA and One Street Studios will jointly oversee the fund, combining institutional investment expertise with industry knowledge to build a scalable investment platform for Africa's rapidly growing creative economy.

One Street Studios said its integrated model combines financing, content development, production, publishing, and screen adaptation while strengthening links between the African diaspora and the continent to promote African-owned stories for global audiences.

George Elombi, President and Chairman of Afreximbank, said the partnership represents a strategic step toward enabling Africans to retain ownership of their narratives while strengthening connections between the continent and its global diaspora.

"The partnership between FEDA and One Street Studios comes at a pivotal moment. It creates an important bridge between the diaspora and Africa while empowering our creative economy to own its stories, produce what we consume, and consume what we produce," Elombi said.

Luvelle Lavette, Chief Executive of the African Film Fund and Managing Partner of One Street Studios/JVL Media, said the initiative would provide long-term capital to support creators, expand production capacity, and establish sustainable global distribution channels for African storytelling.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Assiak, Chief Executive Officer of FEDA, said the fund would help African creators produce world-class content while connecting them with international audiences and long-term investment capital.