One Street Studios partners with Afreximbank and FEDA to co‑manage a $1 billion Pan‑African film fund, boosting Africa’s creative‑industry financing
Executive summary: One Street Studios was named co‑general partner of the Pan‑African Film Fund alongside Afreximbank and FEDA, with a target capitalisation of up to US$1 billion. The fund represents a major new source of financing for African film and television, potentially expanding production capacity, creating jobs and attracting international co‑productions.
Who is involved: One Street Studios (private studio), Afreximbank (African Export‑Import Bank), FEDA (Fund for Export Development in Africa).
Likely next (inference): The fund expects to complete its first capital raise by Q4 2026, begin disbursements to selected film projects in early 2027, and report initial performance in Afreximbank’s 2026 annual release (February 2027).
Afreximbank and the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA) have appointed One Street Studios as a co‑general partner of the newly launched Pan‑African Film Fund, which aims to mobilise up to US$1 billion for film and audiovisual projects across the continent. The initiative is positioned as one of the largest dedicated film‑investment platforms for Africa’s creative industries and is intended to connect African storytelling with global capital markets. By placing a private studio in a general‑partner role, the fund seeks to combine commercial expertise with development‑bank backing to accelerate project financing and distribution.
Timeline
- — One Street Studios ha sido designado por Afreximbank y Fondo para el Desarrollo de las Exportaciones en África (FEDA) como copartícipe general del Fondo Panafricano del Cine, cuyo objetivo es movilizar hasta 1.000 millones de dólares estadounidenses (PR Newswire)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- Fund to close initial capital commitment by 31 December 2026.
- First tranche of financing to be allocated to pilot film projects by March 2027.
- Afreximbank to publish fund performance metrics in its FY 2026 annual report (February 2027).
Sectors affected
- film production
- media and entertainment
- African creative industries
Regulatory implications
- Must adhere to Afreximbank’s Environmental and Social Safeguards for creative‑industry lending.
- Subject to the African Union’s Protocol on Trade in Services (Mode 2) governing cross‑border cultural audiovisual services.
Historical parallels
- Nollywood Growth Fund launched by Nigeria’s Bank of Industry in 2018 targeting US$500 million.
- African Film Development Fund created by the African Development Bank in 2020 with a US$200 million envelope.