By Adesakin Adefemi
In a move hailed as a “defining moment for African cinema,” Kunle Afolayan’s production company, KAP Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Benin to deepen collaboration in film production, youth training, and creative infrastructure development across West Africa.
The agreement was formalised on Wednesday at the KAP Hub, the filmmaker’s creative headquarters in Lagos.
The partnership, initiated by the Beninese Presidency, aims to strengthen African storytelling and position Benin as an emerging hub for audio-visual production on the continent.
According to a statement from KAP Group, the MoU marks a significant cross-border collaboration to transform the region’s film and creative industry landscape.
“This is a landmark move set to redefine the future of African storytelling and cross-border creative collaboration,” the statement read, adding that the agreement reinforces KAP Group’s growing role in building strategic creative alliances across Africa.
As part of preliminary engagements, Afolayan and KAP Group’s Executive Director, ’Seun Soyinka, led a delegation to Cotonou last month for consultations with senior Beninese government officials and stakeholders in the country’s film and audio-visual sector.
Discussions focused on boosting local content creation, enhancing technical capacity, and developing sustainable structures for cinematography and creative enterprise in Benin.
A high-level Beninese delegation, including Sinatou Saka, Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for Media and Audiovisual Affairs, and Bassirou Ndiaye, CEO of SOPA S.A, formalised the partnership in Lagos.
Other members of the delegation included Coline-Lee Toumson-Venite, Special Adviser to the President for Arts and Culture, and Faissol Gnonlonfin, Director of Cinema and Performing Arts at the Agency for the Development of Arts and Culture (ADAC).
The MoU outlines three key areas of collaboration: 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.
These initiatives are expected to create jobs, build capacity, and elevate Benin’s creative industry to global standards.
As part of the partnership activities, the Beninese delegation will tour KAP Group’s production facilities in Lagos and its KAP Film Village & Resort in Igbojaye-Komu, Oyo State, between February 19 and 22.
Speaking on the development, Kunle 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.”
Sinatou Saka expressed optimism about the collaboration, stating, “We are finally happy to be working in partnership with Kunle Afolayan, especially in the area of capacity building.” She added that the partnership aligns with Benin’s vision to become a key player in Africa’s creative economy.
The agreement signals a new era of Pan-African cooperation in the creative sector, with stakeholders anticipating that the partnership will not only boost film production but also empower young creatives and contribute to the socio-economic development of both Nigeria and Benin.
