IFC and Sony Back Africa’s First Film Production Platform to Empower Creators

In a transformative step for Africa’s creative economy, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has announced its first-ever investment in Nigeria’s audiovisual sector, partnering with the Sony Innovation Fund: Africa to support Filmmakers Mart (FMM)—Africa’s first integrated digital production platform. The partnership is designed to enhance access to production services across the continent’s fast-growing film and entertainment industry and create new opportunities for creatives in emerging markets.

An Operating System for Africa’s Film Sector

Founded with the mission of revolutionizing how creative professionals in Africa access critical production infrastructure, Filmmakers Mart (FMM) is a centralized digital platform that streamlines and automates essential services such as:

• Location scouting

• Logistics coordination

• Catering and accommodation

• Permit acquisition

Unlike the traditional, fragmented systems that dominate the industry, FMM integrates these services through AI-powered tools and automated workflows, offering cost-effective and time-saving solutions that ensure users are connected to vetted providers and verified locations.

“We’re building the operating system for the creative industries in emerging markets,” said Eric Kafui Okyerefo, CEO and co-founder of Filmmakers Mart. “This partnership validates our vision and equips us with the resources to deepen our impact and scale globally.”

Expansion and Innovation Through Strategic Investment

The investment will allow FMM to expand beyond its current presence in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Morocco, and South Africa into new African markets, including those with nascent but high-potential creative sectors.

It will also fund the development of new platform features, including:

• Subscription models to support freelancers and small studios

• Post-production tools for editing and effects

• Digital training programs to build capacity among young creatives

This multifaceted approach addresses access-to-market barriers that have historically stifled the growth of Africa’s film and media professionals—particularly for women, youth, and underrepresented groups.

Strategic Support from Sony Ventures

Sony Innovation Fund: Africa, which focuses on early-stage startups in entertainment, media, and technology, brings to the partnership deep industry expertise and a global network of content creators, producers, and distributors.

“Filmmakers Mart is tackling real infrastructure gaps with a smart, scalable solution,” said Antonio Avitabile, Managing Director of Sony Ventures EMEA. “We’re proud to support platforms that empower creators and are excited to help unlock new opportunities across Africa’s vibrant creative landscape.”

Boosting Jobs, Inclusion, and Digital Innovation

According to IFC Regional Director Dahlia Khalifa, the platform reflects a broader commitment to inclusive growth and job creation across Africa’s digital creative economy.

“Africa’s film and entertainment sector is brimming with talent,” Khalifa said. “But talent alone is not enough—it needs platforms, tools, and investments to thrive. Supporting FMM is part of our strategy to harness innovation and build resilient ecosystems that work for the next generation of African storytellers.”

Africa’s film and creative industries—particularly Nigeria’s Nollywood, Kenya’s rising media sector, and Morocco’s production hubs—have shown explosive growth in recent years, yet they continue to face bottlenecks in production access, distribution, and training infrastructure.

By providing digital, scalable, and inclusive solutions, FMM aims to reduce friction in production processes, unlock new collaborations across countries, and democratize access to filmmaking tools previously limited to major studios or urban centers.

A New Era for African Storytelling

This investment signifies more than just financial support. It marks the beginning of a new digital era for African creatives, one where stories from the continent can be developed, produced, and distributed faster, more affordably, and at global standards.

It also aligns with IFC’s and Sony’s shared mission to nurture emerging talent, catalyze local entrepreneurship, and strengthen the creative ecosystems that are redefining Africa’s cultural and economic future.

Through Filmmakers Mart, thousands of filmmakers, producers, set designers, editors, and technicians are expected to gain access to employment opportunities, business growth tools, and training resources—all from a single platform.