One Street Studios joins Pan-African Film Fund as co-general partner

The Pan-African Film Fund will invest across the entire audiovisual value chain, supporting projects ranging from content creation and production to distribution and infrastructure development.

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), through its development impact investment arm, the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), has appointed One Street Studios as the Co-General Partner of the Pan-African Film Fund, a major initiative that aims to mobilise up to US$1 billion to accelerate the growth of Africa's film and creative industries.

The fund, launched in May 2025 under Afreximbank's Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, is designed to strengthen Africa's position in the global audiovisual industry by increasing investment in film, television and immersive media. It seeks to provide creators and production companies with access to long-term financing while helping African stories reach wider international audiences. The initiative reflects growing efforts to turn Africa's creative economy into a major contributor to economic growth, employment and cultural influence.

Fund to support production, distribution and creative infrastructure

The Pan-African Film Fund will invest across the entire audiovisual value chain, supporting projects ranging from content creation and production to distribution and infrastructure development. Financing will be provided through a combination of equity, quasi-equity and structured financial solutions tailored to the needs of creative businesses. The fund will prioritise export-oriented productions with strong international appeal while working with film studios, streaming platforms and distributors to build a steady pipeline of commercially viable projects.

Beyond financing individual productions, the initiative will also invest in production studios, post-production facilities, digital streaming platforms and exhibition infrastructure. The goal is to address long-standing structural challenges facing Africa's creative industries while building a sustainable ecosystem capable of competing globally. Under the partnership, FEDA and One Street Studios will jointly manage the fund, combining investment expertise with industry knowledge to create a scalable platform that supports African-owned storytelling.

Creative industries seen as driver of economic growth

One Street Studios brings an integrated business model that combines financing, content development, publishing and screen adaptation. The company also aims to strengthen connections between Africa and its global diaspora while supporting creators whose stories have often been overlooked by traditional financing models.

Afreximbank President and Chairman Dr. George Elombi said the partnership represents an important opportunity to connect Africa with its diaspora while enabling the continent's creative industries to take greater ownership of their stories. He said the initiative supports the vision of producing more African content for both domestic and international audiences.

Lavaille Lavette, Chief Executive Officer of the Pan-African Film Fund and Managing Partner at One Street Studios and JVL Media, said the fund will provide long-term investment that strengthens production capacity, supports creators and expands global distribution opportunities for African storytelling.

Emmanuel Assiak, Chief Executive Officer of FEDA, described African storytelling as a powerful cultural asset with worldwide appeal. He said the fund will help creators produce world-class content while connecting them with international audiences and sustainable sources of investment.

The appointment of One Street Studios marks another milestone in Afreximbank's Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) strategy, reinforcing its commitment to developing Africa's creative industries into a globally competitive sector that generates investment, creates jobs and showcases African stories on the world stage.