Afreximbank appoints One Street Studios to help manage $1B Pan-African Film Fund

CAIRO - 9 July 2026: The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), through its development impact investment arm, the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), has appointed One Street Studios as Co-General Partner of the Pan-African Film Fund, an initiative that aims to mobilize up to $1 billion for Africa's film and creative industries.

 

The fund, launched in May 2025 under Afreximbank's Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) program, is designed to finance projects across Africa's film, television, and immersive media sectors, supporting the continent's ambition to become a globally competitive hub for audiovisual production.

 

According to Afreximbank, the fund will invest across the industry's value chain, including content development and production, film distribution, digital streaming platforms, production studios, and post-production infrastructure. It will offer a mix of equity, quasi-equity, and structured financing, with a focus on export-oriented projects that have strong international distribution potential.

 

FEDA and One Street Studios will jointly manage the fund, combining investment expertise with industry experience to build a pipeline of commercially viable creative projects.

 

"The partnership between FEDA and One Street Studios is both timely and strategic," said George Elombi, President and Chairman of Afreximbank. "It serves as a crucial bridge connecting the African diaspora with the continent while empowering Africa's creative economy to take ownership of its narratives."

 

Lavaille Lavette, CEO of the Pan-African Film Fund and Managing Partner at One Street Studios, said the initiative would mobilize long-term capital to strengthen production capacity and expand global distribution opportunities for African storytelling.

 

FEDA CEO Emmanuel Assiak said the fund aims to help creators produce world-class content while connecting them with international audiences and long-term investment capital.

 

Afreximbank said the appointment marks another step in its broader CANEX strategy to transform Africa's creative industries into a globally competitive sector capable of driving economic growth, creating jobs, and expanding the continent's cultural influence.