The Next Narrative Africa Fund (NNAF), founded by media executive Akunna Cook, has unveiled the first nine film and television projects to receive development support from its $50 million content fund.
Announced on March 12, the inaugural slate highlights several projects rooted in West Africa, with stories set in Nigeria, Ghana, and Sierra Leone. Projects must complete at least 50% of production in Africa, a requirement aimed at strengthening local industries and creating jobs. According to Cook, the first slate alone represents over $60 million in production activity across the continent.
Among the 9 selected titles are 6 West African-set projects spanning genres from mystery thrillers and sci-fi romance to historical spy drama and fantasy musical.
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Innocent (Nigeria)
One of the Nigerian projects selected is Innocent, a mystery-thriller set in Lagos and directed by Arie Esiri (Eyimofe), who co-wrote the screenplay with his twin brother, Chuko Esiri. The film is described as a “whodunnit” unfolding in Nigeria’s commercial capital. The Esiri brothers recently drew international attention after Neon acquired worldwide rights to their feature Clarissa, starring Sophie Okonedo, David Oyelowo, and Ayo Edebiri.
Bako (Nigeria)
Another Nigerian entry is Bako, a romance-driven science fiction film directed by Boma Iluma (Comfort) who co-writes alongside Andres Fischer-Centeno. Set in a near-future Nigeria where aliens coexist with humans, the story imagines a technological boom powered by extraterrestrial innovation. Against this backdrop of rapid transformation, a once-in-a-generation love story unfolds amid social divisions reshaping the country.
United States of Africa (Ghana)
Ghana features prominently with United States of Africa, an action spy thriller television series set in 1958, the early years following the country’s independence. Created by Carl Kwesi Earl-Ocran and written by Yule Caise, the series follows a former Ghanaian soldier tasked with forming Africa’s first spy agency as the CIA, KGB, and MI6 attempt to turn Ghana into a Cold War proxy battlefield. Executive producers include André Holland, Patrick Wengler, Ana Emdin, and Yan Fisher.
The Return (Ghana)
Ghana is also the setting for The Return, a comedy-horror film written and directed by Zoey Martinson (The Fisherman). The story follows seven Gen Z friends on a weekend getaway who accidentally disrespect an ancient deity while staying at a beachfront Airbnb. What begins as a celebration of culture quickly spirals into a supernatural struggle for survival as the group confronts questions of heritage and the Ghanaian philosophy of Sankofa, which emphasises learning from the past. The film will be produced by Kofi Owusu Afriyie under Luu Vision Media.
Untitled Political Thriller (Sierra Leone–UK)
British-Sierra Leonean filmmaker Rapman (Supacell), is attached to direct and co-write an untitled political thriller set in Sierra Leone. The film follows a 25-year-old soldier who suddenly finds himself ruling the country after a bloodless coup, only to realise that holding power may be more dangerous than seizing it. Rapman will produce the project alongside Mouktar Mohamed and Victor Mukete.
Jollof Wars (West Africa)
Rounding out the West African slate is Jollof Wars, a fantasy musical comedy directed by Hamid Ibrahim (Sansan) of Kugali Media. Set in a magical world where chefs summon ancestral spirits to cook, the story follows an orphan without a spirit who teams up with a jaded heiress to reclaim the soul of West African cuisine during a mystical cooking competition. The film will feature Banky W, Adesua Etomi, and Oluwanifewa “Nife” Agunbiade, with a screenplay by Matthew Corry and Olufikayo “Ziki” Nelson.
Other projects in the inaugural slate include South African titles Beyond Day Zero, an action film produced by Trevor Noah and Skunk, an action drama written and directed by Amanda Lane; and Sudanese title About Love & September Laws, a political drama set in 1983 Sudan directed and co-written by Mohamed Kordofani, the filmmaker behind the Cannes-winning Goodbye Julia.
The 9 projects were selected from over 2,000 applications from 80 countries.
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