Chocolate City Group, a media and entertainment company long established in Nigeria’s music scene, set to play a key role in reshaping film education in Nigeria.
In a partnership with the Federal Government, the music powerhouse eyes a transformation of the National Film Institute (NFI) into a modern film school and production centre. The announcement was made during the ongoing Cannes Film Festival as part of Nigeria’s Screen Nigeria campaign, aimed at showcasing the country’s film industry on the world stage.
The NFI, based in Jos, has trained hundreds of professionals over the years, including acclaimed cinematographer Yinka Edward (October 1, The Black Book) and award-winning director Kenneth Gyang (Confusion Na Wa, Oloture). However, limited resources and outdated infrastructure have hampered its growth and relevance in recent years.
The plan is to revitalise the institute’s facilities, update its curriculum, and establish international exchange programmes with top global film institutions. The revamped NFI hopes to join the ranks of other emerging Nigerian film schools such as Multichoice Talent Factory, EbonyLife Creative Academy, and Del-York Creative Academy, programmes that have mass-produced graduates currently visible in Nollywood’s screen sector.
“For too long, our most promising filmmakers have had to seek technical training abroad,” said Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa. “We’re investing in infrastructure that transforms raw talent into world-class professionals right here in Nigeria, creating both cultural and economic returns. This is precisely the public-private collaboration President Tinubu envisioned when he made the creative economy a pillar of our national development strategy.”
Audu Maikori, Chairman of Chocolate City Group, described the move as both a cultural and economic investment. “We’re witnessing Nigeria’s creative renaissance, and education is the foundation that will sustain it. Reimagining film education from the ground up will ensure we prepare students for existing opportunities and empower them to create new ones while putting Nigerian storytelling on the world stage.”
Abuchi Peter Ugwu, CEO of Chocolate City Music, added: “We have two decades of experience nurturing Nigerian creative talents. Our goal with this partnership is to create an ecosystem that nurtures talent from concept to career. We will build a self-sustaining pipeline that transforms Nollywood’s potential into economic opportunity while establishing Nigeria as a creative and technical hub for global productions.”
This renewed push for film education comes amid the Nigerian government’s wider international strategy. The Screen Nigeria initiative has marked a significant presence at Cannes 2025, with the country celebrating its first-ever official selection with My Father’s Shadow.
“Our breakthrough at Cannes with films like My Father’s Shadow represents what individual visionaries can achieve,” said Ali Nuhu, Managing Director of the National Film Corporation. “This partnership ensures we’ll soon have thousands more filmmakers with the training and connections to follow in their footsteps.”
The partnership is anchored in the federal government’s Destination 2030: Nigeria Everywhere strategy, which aims to create 2 million jobs and contribute $100 billion to the national GDP by boosting the creative and tourism sectors. Through the Creative and Tourism Infrastructure Company (CTICo), the government promises to support the NFI overhaul with strategic capital and oversight.
While the government projects that the institute will train 10,000 students over the next decade, with 2,000 directly placed in industry roles, details on the start date of the revamp remain undisclosed.
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