Building on the $100 million African Film City will start in October - Sanwo-Olu

 

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State announced on Thursday that the commencement ceremony for the projected African Film City project in Epe, with an estimated budget of 100 million dollars, is scheduled to take place prior to the conclusion of October.

The disclosure was made by Sanwo-Olu during a news conference held at the Government House, Marina, Lagos, regarding the upcoming 12th African International Film Festival (AFRIFF).

As per the statement made by the governor, the primary objective of the project is to augment creativity in content production inside Nollywood, the film industry of Nigeria.

According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the state government made an announcement in October 2022 on the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Del-York Group for the purpose of undertaking the building of the aforementioned project.

Sanwo-Olu revealed that the government of the state intends to increase the level of support provided for the development of skills among talented young individuals in the film business. This support aims to strengthen their proficiency in contemporary filmmaking techniques.

Additionally, he said that there would be an increase in funding for filmmakers in order to facilitate their operations without any hindrances.

We are currently implementing significant initiatives. The commencement of construction for the African Film City is scheduled to take place prior to the conclusion of the current month.

The proposed film metropolis is planned to occupy an expansive area of 100 hectares in Epe, exhibiting substantial scale and magnitude. Our primary objective is to assume a position of leadership within Lagos State.

It is anticipated that the initial set of studios will be completed within a timeframe of 24 to 30 months following the commencement of construction.

I have had the opportunity to visit several studios in the United States of America, such as Prime Studio and Sugarland, among others. These studios have expressed enthusiasm and have made commitments to visit our location.

Furthermore, the speaker expressed the intention to augment both financial assistance and training opportunities for emerging actors in the sector, while also enhancing grants for film producers. The speaker emphasized a commitment to doubling the efforts made in these areas previously.

The governor encouraged the practitioners to employ their creativity in developing content that reflects an African perspective, with the aim of altering the socio-cultural narrative of the continent. Additionally, the governor stated that by doing so, Nigeria will demonstrate its preparedness to the global community.

I am eagerly anticipating the forthcoming 12th edition of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), as it is an invaluable opportunity to globally exhibit authentic indigenous content.

The event has provided an opportunity for burgeoning talents to thrive. I am of the opinion that the forthcoming catastrophe will be of significant magnitude.

The administration expresses enthusiasm for its involvement in this endeavor. It is our contention that this course of action is morally justifiable. The comprehension of our past by the world is contingent upon our ability to maintain composure and articulate our narratives.