#None #Afreximbank #One Street Studios #Pan African Fund

One Street Studios Partners with Afreximbank for Pan African Film Fund

In a groundbreaking move for the African creative industries, One Street Studios has been appointed as a co-general partner of the Pan African Film Fund by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in conjunction with the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA). The objective of this initiative is to mobilize up to $1 billion to bolster the film and creative sectors across the continent.

Established as part of Afreximbank's Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) program in May 2025, the Pan African Film Fund aims to channel substantial capital into Africa's film, television, and immersive media industries. This ambitious initiative positions Africa competitively on the global stage for audiovisual production and storytelling.

Objectives and Impact of the Fund

The Pan African Film Fund intends to create a diversified portfolio that includes content production, infrastructure development, and distribution. It will employ a strategic combination of equity, quasi-equity, and tailored structured finance solutions to support creative industry projects. The fund prioritizes export-focused projects with promising global distribution potential, backing collaborations with studios, streaming platforms, and distributors to ensure a robust flow of profitable opportunities.

Beyond financing, the fund aims to tackle several structural limitations affecting the sector by investing throughout the audiovisual value chain. This includes supporting the development and production of film and television content, enhancing global distribution for African-produced content, expanding digital streaming and exhibition platforms, and developing production studios and post-production facilities. Through this comprehensive approach, the fund aspires to establish a competitive global cinematic ecosystem that sustains long-term growth and amplifies African narratives on the world stage.

Strategic Partnership

FEDA and One Street Studios will operate as joint general partners of the fund. This strategic partnership brings together financial capabilities and industry expertise to create a scalable investment platform that aligns with Africa's rapidly expanding creative economy. One Street Studios contributes an integrated model that harmonizes capital with creative vision, overseeing the financing, development, and production of content from conception to screen. This approach bridges the gap between the diaspora and Africa, fostering support for African-authored narratives. As a fully-funded studio, One Street Studios invests in bold stories and often overlooked storytellers, combining project financing, editing, and screen adaptation under one roof to deliver distinctive stories to a global audience.

Visionaries Behind the Fund

Dr. George Elombi, President and Chairman of Afreximbank, remarked on the significance of the collaboration between FEDA and One Street Studios, emphasizing its role in linking the diaspora to the African continent and empowering the creative economy to take ownership of its narratives, allowing for the production of content that reflects African identity.

Lavaille Lavette, Executive Director of the Pan African Film Fund and Managing Partner of One Street Studios / JVL Media, highlighted that the African creative industries are at a pivotal moment. The fund is positioned to mobilize long-term capital that supports creators, bolsters production capacity, and builds sustainable global distribution pathways for African stories.

Furthermore, Emmanuel Assiak, Executive Director of FEDA, stressed that African narratives possess extraordinary cultural depth and universal relevance. The Pan African Film Fund enables creators to produce world-class content while connecting them to global audiences and long-term investment capital.

Conclusion

This announcement marks a significant milestone in Afreximbank's broader strategy of the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) and reinforces its commitment to transforming Africa's creative industries into a globally competitive sector. This initiative has the potential to drive economic growth, create jobs, and enhance cultural influence throughout the continent.

For more information on the Pan African Film Fund and its objectives, visit Afreximbank.