Canal+ has partnered with Nigerian production company Flying Whale, a production label within Anakle Films, on a slate of ten made-for-television films as the French company expands its African content strategy following its acquisition of MultiChoice.
The partnership came to light at this year’s NollywoodWeek Paris, where Hope for Everyday, one of the films produced under the agreement in collaboration with Canal+’s ROK Studios, screened ahead of its television premiere. The social-impact drama, centred on HIV awareness and starring Kayode Ojuolape Jr, Femi Jacobs, Wunmi Tuase-Fosudo, Ego Ihenacho and Ariyiike Owolagba, is scheduled to debut on a Canal+ Nollywood-focused television channel later in the year.
According to executives from both companies, the collaboration originated at FAME Week Africa in Cape Town, where Canal+ executives approached Anakle after watching The Black Book. The 2023 thriller, produced by Anakle Films, became one of Netflix’s most-watched African originals and introduced the company to a wider international audience.
“When I met Editi [Effiong]”, who is the director of The Black Book and CEO of Anakle Films, “I asked him if he could work on a budget probably several times lower than what he was used to” recalled Cédric Pierre-Louis, Programming Director of the ROK and Nollywood TV channels (among others), at Canal+ Afrique.
After conversations, the companies agreed to produce ten television films under comparatively modest budgets, requiring a different production model from Anakle’s The Black Book which was acquired as a Netflix original. Four films have already been completed and delivered under the partnership.
For Canal+, the agreement builds on a long-running strategy of investing in African production companies. Beyond its majority stake in ROK Studios in Nigeria, the group also has production investments in Côte d’Ivoire’s Plan A, Rwanda’s Zacu Entertainment and Senegal’s Marodi TV. With its acquisition of MultiChoice, Canal+ now oversees one of the continent’s largest entertainment businesses, spanning pay television, streaming and content production. With Showmax still gradually being migrated to DStv Stream, attention has turned to the company’s wider content strategy across Africa.
The Canal+ slate adds to Anakle’s growing body of film production work. After co-producing projects including Up North, The Set Up franchise and Day of Destiny, the company went on to produce The Black Book and has since announced The Black Book 2, with Nicholas Weinstock attached as producer, Bunmi Ajakaiye returning as co-writer, and Yinka Edward returning as director of photography and co-producer.
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Editor’s Note (22 July 2026): Following publication, Canal+ provided updated wording for Cédric Pierre-Louis’ quote. The article has been amended accordingly. No other changes have been made.
