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The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) has once again reinforced its role as one of Africa’s most important film training pipelines with the graduation of its 2026 West Africa cohort.
The programme, which continues to shape the next generation of filmmakers on the continent, celebrated 20 graduates after an intensive nine-month training cycle in film and television production.
Delivered in partnership with Pan-Atlantic University, the initiative exposed students to core aspects of filmmaking, including directing, producing, scriptwriting, cinematography, and editing.
The goal is to equip young creatives with both technical and storytelling skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving African entertainment industry.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Ikechukwu Obiaya, Dean of the School of Media & Communication at Pan-Atlantic University, reminded the graduates that their journey is only beginning.
He encouraged them to remain intentional about growth, collaboration, and continuous learning, stressing that the industry rewards consistency and curiosity rather than complacency.
“This is the end of a phase, but only the beginning of your journey,” he said, urging them to remain committed to professional development as they step into the competitive world of filmmaking.
One of the standout highlights of this year’s cohort was the entrepreneurial drive shown by the students. Five graduates went beyond training to launch two production-focused companies during the programme.
These include Muri Marun Stories, founded by Tolulope Akande, Opeyemi Obasa, and Dorathy Ufot, as well as CineX Mart Ltd, established by Abdulsalam Ibrahim Oladimeji and Audu Israel Yakubu.
Muri Marun Stories stood out strongly, earning the CEO’s Entrepreneurial Award alongside a ₦2 million grant to support its expansion. Meanwhile, CineX Mart Ltd was recognised for its early success in marketing and distribution.
The company has already secured placement for the short film The Phone Call on Minflix and contributed to promotional efforts for the MTF-backed film Trouble for Two, showing early promise in the business side of filmmaking.
Individual achievements from the cohort also drew attention. One of the graduates, Kwaku Edusei Acquah, won the Audience Choice Award at the Lift-Off Global Network Film Festival for his project The Imperfect Plan. He also received the Creative Innovator Award from the University for the Creative Arts, which included a £1,500 prize, further highlighting the global competitiveness of MTF-trained filmmakers.
Other student projects, including works by Amirat Yakub and Emmanuella Nwachukwu, demonstrated the diversity of voices emerging from the programme, with stories reflecting different cultural perspectives across West Africa.
Kemi Omotosho, CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria, described the graduation as a defining moment not just for the students but for African storytelling as a whole. She noted that the graduates are no longer learners but active contributors to a growing creative ecosystem that is shaping narratives across the continent.
“This graduation marks a defining moment not just for these students but also for the future of African storytelling,” she said.
Since its launch in 2018, the MultiChoice Talent Factory has grown into a key development platform for emerging filmmakers across Africa.
Its alumni have gone on to work on film, television, and digital productions, with several projects gaining international recognition and funding support.
As the 2026 cohort joins the industry, expectations remain high that they will contribute fresh ideas, innovative storytelling, and strong production skills to an already fast-growing Nollywood and African film landscape.
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