Pan-African Film and Audiovisual Fund Launched to Transform Continent's Creative Economy

By Kepher Otieno - Reporter

Egypt, 9 July 2026 - Africa's creative economy is entering a new era following the launch of an ambitious Pan-African Film and Audiovisual Fund designed to mobilise up to US$1 billion for the continent's film, television and digital media industries, signalling one of the largest investment drives ever undertaken for African storytelling.

The fund, championed by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) through its impact investment arm, the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), has appointed One Street Studios as co-General Partner in a move expected to reshape how African content is financed, produced and distributed globally.

For decades, African filmmakers have struggled to access long-term financing despite growing international demand for authentic African stories. The new fund seeks to bridge that gap by investing across the entire value chain—from content development and production to studio infrastructure, post-production facilities, streaming platforms and global distribution.

Rather than financing individual films alone, the initiative aims to build a commercially sustainable audiovisual ecosystem capable of competing with established entertainment markets in Europe, North America and Asia.

The announcement reflects a wider shift in Africa's economic strategy, where creative industries are increasingly being recognised as major export sectors capable of generating foreign exchange earnings, skilled employment and valuable intellectual property.

Afreximbank President Dr George Elombi described the partnership as a strategic milestone linking Africa with its global diaspora while enabling Africans to own and commercialise their stories.

"The partnership between FEDA and One Street Studios comes at a timely and strategic moment. It serves as an essential bridge connecting the diaspora with Africa while enabling our creative economy to fully own our narratives. It allows us to produce what we consume and consume what we produce," Elombi said.

Chief Executive of the Pan-African Film Fund and Managing Partner at One Street Studios, Lavaille Lavette, said Africa's creative industries had reached a defining moment.

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"Through the Pan-African Film Fund, we will mobilise long-term capital to support creators, strengthen production capacity and establish sustainable global distribution channels for African stories," she said.

FEDA Chief Executive Emmanuel Assiak said African stories possess extraordinary cultural richness and universal appeal.

"Through the Pan-African Film Fund, FEDA is empowering creators to produce world-class content while connecting them with international audiences and long-term investment capital," Assiak said.

The initiative forms part of Afreximbank's broader Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) strategy, which seeks to transform Africa's creative industries into globally competitive businesses capable of driving economic growth, creating jobs and expanding the continent's cultural influence.

For investors, the significance extends far beyond cinema. The fund signals growing confidence that Africa's youthful population, expanding digital economy and rising appetite for streaming content can transform storytelling into a high-value export industry, positioning the creative economy alongside manufacturing, agriculture and technology as one of the continent's next major engines of growth.