EbonyLife, Logical African Partners Launch $50m Fund for African Films

By Adedapo Adesanya

EbonyLife Group and Logical African Partners, the African investment vehicle of France’s Logical Pictures, have launched a $50 million film fund dedicated to financing African cinema and supporting filmmakers across the continent.

The Afro Film Fund aims to finance approximately 35 African films over the next eight years, supporting an estimated four to nine projects annually.

The fund will provide financing opportunities for African filmmakers to develop and produce commercially viable, culturally relevant and internationally competitive films.

Its investment strategy is designed to serve audiences across Africa and the global African diaspora, with selected productions positioned for wider international distribution.

The fund is expected to make its first disbursements in late the first quarter or early the second quarter of 2027.

Commenting on the launch, the founder of the entertainment group, Ms Mo Abudu, said the fund would address the critical need for structured financing for African filmmakers and help take African cinema to greater heights.

Logical African Partners Vice President, Mr Pape Boye, described the initiative as an important opportunity to unlock the potential of African cinema by bringing together investment and creative talent.

The agreement between EbonyLife Group and Logical African Partners was signed on Tuesday in Paris, in the presence of France’s Minister of Culture, Ms Catherine Pégard.

Separately, Ms Abudu signed an agreement with France’s National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC) to support its Audiovisual Next Gen programme, an 18-month accelerator offering mentorship to 15 professionals under the age of 35 across the creative industries.

Ms Abudu will serve as the programme’s Global Ambassador, with EbonyLife joining Netflix, RTL Group and Mediawan as supporters.

The first cohort of participants, comprising entirely women, is expected to be announced at the end of January 2027.

Ms Abudu said the two partnerships reflected EbonyLife’s commitment to building a stronger and more sustainable African creative industry.

She explained that while the Audiovisual Next Gen programme would develop the next generation of global audiovisual leaders, the Afro Film Fund would address financing challenges facing African filmmakers.

The Audiovisual Next Gen programme was announced in September at the Lumière Summit, which brought together industry players and government decision-makers to discuss the future of the film industry.

Founded by Ms Abudu, EbonyLife Group operates across film and television production, cinema exhibition, talent development, training and digital distribution.