Mo Abudu's EbonyLife and Logical African Partners Launch $50M African Film Fund

Mo Abudu's EbonyLife Group and Logical African Partners launched a $50 million film fund in Paris on Tuesday, dedicated to financing African cinema and backing the continent's filmmakers.

The Afro Film Fund aims to finance approximately 35 African films across the next eight years. It will support an estimated four to nine projects annually, providing financing for the development and production of what its backers describe as "commercially viable, culturally relevant and internationally competitive films."

The investment strategy targets audiences across Africa and the global African diaspora, with selected productions positioned for wider international distribution. First disbursements are scheduled for late Q1 or early Q2 2027.

What does the fund change for African filmmakers?

It addresses a structural gap: access to organized, institutional capital. Abudu, founder and CEO of EbonyLife Group, said the fund "will address the critical need for structured financing for African filmmakers and take African cinema to even greater heights."

Logical African Partners VP Pape Boye called the launch a "new chapter" for the industry. "The Afro Film Fund represents an important opportunity to unlock the enormous potential of African cinema," Boye said. "By bringing together investment and creative talent, we aim to build a sustainable financing platform that empowers African filmmakers and enables their stories to reach audiences around the world."

The deal was signed Tuesday in Paris, with French culture minister Catherine Pégard in attendance. Earlier, Abudu signed a separate agreement with France's CNC to support the Audiovisual Next Gen program, an 18-month accelerator offering mentorship to 15 professionals under the age of 35 from across the creative industries.

Abudu will serve as Global Ambassador of the program, organized by the CNC. EbonyLife joins Netflix, the RTL Group and Mediawan among its backers. The first cohort, comprised entirely of women, is expected to be announced at the end of January 2027.

"These two partnerships reflect our commitment to building a stronger and more sustainable African creative industry," Abudu said. "While the Audiovisual Next Gen program will help develop the next generation of global audiovisual leaders, the Afro Film Fund will address the critical need for structured financing for African filmmakers."

Who are the partners behind it?

Born in London, Abudu founded EbonyLife Group, a pan-African company whose portfolio spans film and television production, cinema exhibition, talent development, training and digital distribution platforms. Her most recent venture is EbonyLife Place London, a multi-purpose cultural hub in the U.K. capital dedicated to African and Black film, art and culture.

Logical Pictures Group, founded in 2016, has become a leading player in film and TV equity in France and internationally. It expanded into the African market in 2024 with the launch of investment vehicle Logical African Partners.

Production and sales veteran Boye partnered with the French group in 2023 to launch Black Mic Mac, a production banner championing African and Middle Eastern talent. Its slate includes the revenge thriller "3 Cold Dishes," executive produced by Burna Boy.

Why does Paris matter here?

The Audiovisual Next Gen program was announced in September at the Lumière Summit, which brought together industry players and government decision-makers from across the globe to explore the future of film.

Pégard pointed to that event as proof "that new alliances can be built to respond to the unprecedented transformation of the screen industries." She added that the two agreements signed with EbonyLife "are a concrete response and show that France, through its institutions and its cultural industries, is at the center of the global response to these challenges."

With $50 million committed and the first all-female mentorship cohort named in January 2027, the partnership signals a shift from project-by-project dealmaking toward durable financing infrastructure for African cinema.