In a move set to deepen cross-border collaboration in African cinema, Kunle Afolayan’s production company, Kunle Afolayan Productions (KAP), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Benin. The agreement aims to strengthen film production, youth training, and creative infrastructure development across West Africa.
The MoU was formalized on Wednesday at the KAP Hub in Lagos, the creative headquarters of the Group, following what both parties described as a series of high-level engagements initiated by the Beninese Presidency. According to a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Thursday, the signing represents a strategic partnership designed to position Benin as an emerging hub for audio-visual production and storytelling 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 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 statement read.
The signing at the KAP Hub—Kunle Afolayan’s one-stop creative centre and head office—marks another major Pan-African initiative by the Group. It reinforces KAP’s growing role in building strategic creative alliances across the continent, aimed at strengthening African cinema, empowering youth, and developing globally competitive creative infrastructure.
Cross-Border Engagements
Prior to the MoU, Kunle Afolayan and Seun Soyinka, Executive Director of KAP, led a management delegation to Cotonou last month for consultations with senior government officials and stakeholders in Benin’s film and audio-visual sector. Discussions during the visit focused on frameworks to boost local content creation, enhance technical capacity, and establish sustainable structures for cinematography and creative enterprise in the country.
Following these consultations, a high-level delegation from Benin traveled to Lagos to formalize the partnership. Members of the visiting delegation 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, CEO of SOPA S.A; Faissol Gnonlonfin, Director of Cinema and Performing Arts at the Agency for the Development of Arts and Culture (ADAC); and Meto Adoglo, Program Manager for Storytelling at Sèmè City.
The host team from KAP was led by the Group CEO, the Executive Director, and Professor Tunji Azeez, Head of School at the KAP Film & Television Academy.
Focus Areas of the Partnership
The collaboration will focus on three key pillars:
- Co-production of Films – Creating content that highlights African narratives while expanding the continent’s reach to global audiences.
- Structured Youth Training – Providing comprehensive programs across multiple aspects of filmmaking, from production to post-production.
- Development of a Film City – Establishing and operating a dedicated film city in Ouidah, Benin, designed to serve as a hub for regional audio-visual production and creative enterprise.
As part of the engagement, the Beninese delegation is also scheduled to tour KAP’s production facilities in Lagos and the KAP Film Village & Resort in Igbojaye-Komu, Oyo State, between February 19 and 22.
A Defining Moment for African Cinema
Commenting on the MoU, 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, Special Adviser to the President of Benin, echoed the optimism, emphasizing the importance of capacity building: “We are finally happy to be working in partnership with Kunle Afolayan, especially in the area of capacity building.”
The partnership is expected to not only strengthen the production capacity of both Nigeria and Benin but also create a blueprint for Pan-African collaboration in the creative industries, fostering talent development, infrastructure growth, and a broader global presence for African storytelling.
