CANNES, FRANCE, MAY 21, 2025: The Nigerian Government and Chocolate City Group have announced a partnership to transform the National Film Institute (NFI) into a world-class film school and production center. The agreement was signed at the Cannes Film Festival, where the Nigerian delegation is making an impressive showing through the “Screen Nigeria” initiative.

The NFI transformation forms a key component of the Nigerian government’s growth plan, “Destination 2030: Nigeria Everywhere,” which aims to create 2 million jobs and contribute $100 billion to the nation’s GDP by 2030 through expansion of the creative and tourism sectors. The partnership with Chocolate City Group will completely revitalise NFI’s facilities, curriculum, and industry connections while establishing international exchange programs with leading global film institutions.

This agreement builds upon a Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this year in Abuja between the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy and Chocolate City Group. That partnership focused on developing small-scale live arenas nationwide, identifying and nurturing talent, creating global distribution channels for Nigerian content, and strengthening intellectual property frameworks.

This Ministry will support the project and partner with Choc City through the Creative and Tourism Infrastructure Company (CTICo), the Federal Government’s new investment vehicle for catalytic infrastructure in the creative and tourism sectors. CTICo will provide strategic capital and oversight to ensure the transformation of NFI into a globally competitive institution is fully realized.

Currently operating with limited production facilities, the NFI has struggled to meet growing demand from Nigeria’s booming film industry. Despite training hundreds of professionals who now work in Nollywood, the institute’s infrastructure has limited its ability to provide hands-on experience with current technologies.

Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa spoke about the urgency of the upgrade: “For too long, our most promising filmmakers have had to seek technical training abroad. 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.”

The institute will train 10,000 students over the next decade, with at least 2,000 graduates placed directly into industry jobs. Chocolate City Group will leverage its extensive network to secure sustainable funding and create pathways to employment across the global entertainment industry.

Reinforcing the importance of education to Nigeria’s creative future, Audu Maikori, Chairman of Chocolate City Group, noted, “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.”

The partnership announcement comes at a pivotal moment for Nigerian cinema at Cannes. The country celebrates its first-ever official selection with “My Father’s Shadow” while generating significant international attention with “Osamede,” a historical fantasy.

Highlighting the timing, Ali Nuhu, Managing Director of Nigeria’s National Film Corporation, said, “Our breakthrough at Cannes with films like ‘My Father’s Shadow’ represents what individual visionaries can achieve. This partnership ensures we’ll soon have thousands more filmmakers with the training and connections to follow in their footsteps.”

Concluding, Abuchi Peter Ugwu, CEO of Chocolate City Music, explained, “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.”

About Screen Nigeria

Screen Nigeria is the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy’s flagship initiative to elevate Nigeria’s audiovisual industry on the global stage. As a key component of the broader ‘Nigeria Everywhere’ campaign, Screen Nigeria showcases the nation’s rich creative talent, fosters international collaborations, and ensures prominent Nigerian representation at major film festivals worldwide.

About Chocolate City Group

Chocolate City Group is one of Africa’s leading entertainment companies with two decades of experience developing talent and content across music, film, television, and digital media. Headquartered in Lagos with operations across three continents, Chocolate City has established itself as a powerhouse in identifying, nurturing, and amplifying African creative voices globally.