American actress Viola Davis has proclaimed her support for the Africa Film Fund, a new $1 billion initiative aimed at transforming the film and creative industry across Africa.
The fund is led by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) development impact’s investment arm, known as the Fund for Export-Development in Africa (FEDA), and is part of the Creative Africa Nexus Programme (CANEX). The bank says the fund was created to “revolutionise Global Africa’s film and creative industry”.
Davis, who is one of a few individuals to win Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, said in a statement shared by the bank that the new fund “is an invitation to the world to see Africa through the lens of its own creators—bold, unfiltered, and rich in truth. I am proud to be a part of this momentous step toward a more inclusive global film industry”.
The announcement comes a year after Afreximbank and JVL Media, which is associated with Davis, decided to “collaborate in developing Africa’s nascent film value chain” and promote “the Global African experience in cinemas around the world“. At the time, the two establishments signed a memorandum of intent.
This announcement also comes three years after Davis starred in and produced The Woman King, a Hollywood project based on an African story. The film was shot in South Africa and also featured Thuso Mbedo, an actress from the country, as well as John Boyega, the British actor of Nigerian descent.
The creation of the Africa Film Fund follows Afreximbank’s commitment at the CANEX Weekend event, which took place in Algeria in October 2024. At the event, the Bank announced plans to launch a private equity film fund through FEDA to support film production and distribution across Africa and promote the production and distribution of films and TV series.
Professor Benedict Oramah, President of Afreximbank and Chairman of both the Boards of Directors of Afreximbank and FEDA, said, “Film is a cornerstone of the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme and the establishment of the Africa Film Fund is timely as it will help accelerate the growth of Africa’s creative sector, which has witnessed rapid growth but continues to face significant challenges including funding, scaling and accessing global markets.”
He added: “Through investments in the film sector, alongside initiatives such as the CANEX Shorts Awards, Afreximbank is committed to celebrating and amplifying a diverse range of African voices and experiences, thereby catalysing the creative industry and unleashing the creative industry’s potential to drive economic growth across Africa.”
Marlene Ngoyi, CEO of FEDA, said: “The Africa Film Fund is not merely about financing films—it is about building a thriving ecosystem that empowers Global Africa’s creative talent, fosters cultural exchange, and catalyses economic transformation. At FEDA, we are committed to ensuring this initiative delivers tangible impact with long-term and sustainable benefits.”
