MultiChoice Talent Factory graduates 20 aspiring filmmakers
MultiChoice Talent Factory West Africa Academy yesterday graduated a new set of aspiring filmmakers from across the region, including Nigeria and Ghana, at a grand event in Lagos. A total
MultiChoice Talent Factory West Africa Academy yesterday graduated a new set of aspiring filmmakers from across the region, including Nigeria and Ghana, at a grand event in Lagos.
A total of 20 students completed the intensive nine-month programme, delivered in partnership with Pan-Atlantic University. The curriculum blends academic excellence with hands-on industry exposure, offering specialised training in directing, producing, scriptwriting, cinematography, and editing.
Delivering his speech, Dean, School of Media & Communication, Pan Atlantic University, Ikechukwu Obiaya, charged the graduands: “This is the end of a phase, but only the beginning of your journey. You must commit to continuous learning, collaboration, and curiosity. The industry does not reward complacency; it rewards those who are intentional about growth.”
CEO, MultiChoice Nigeria, Kemi Omotosho, said: “This graduation marks a defining moment not just for these students, but for the future of African storytelling. They are no longer learners, but part of a distinguished creative community shaping narratives across the continent. Through their work, they are already creating jobs, inspiring communities, and positioning African stories where they belong; at the centre of the global stage.”
The Director General/Chief Executive Officer, National Film and Video Censors Board, Dr. Shuaib Husseini, commended MultiChoice for sustaining the capacity development initiative over the years, while admonishing the granduands to be discipline and maintain good character.
Academy Director, Akaoma Onyeonoru expressed her pride in the graduands for holding their own and putting in their best all through the programme.
The Academy’s reputation as a powerhouse of innovation was on full display this year through the entrepreneurial spirit of its students. Demonstrating their readiness for the business of film, five graduates launched two independent companies during the academic year: Muri Marun Stories, a production house founded by Tolulope Akande, Opeyemi Obasa, and Dorathy Ufot; and CineX Mart Ltd, a marketing and distribution firm established by Abdulsalam Ibrahim Oladimeji and Audu Israel Yakubu.
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Muri Marun Stories Limited and CineX Mart Limited won the CEO’s Entrepreneurial Award with prize money of ₦2 million each.
CineX Mart is already making significant industry inroads, having successfully placed the short film ‘The Phone Call’ on Minflix and managing the marketing for the MTF film ‘Trouble for Two’.
Individual creative excellence was equally prominent, with student Kwaku Edusei Acquah earning the Audience Choice Award at the Lift-Off Global Network Film Festival for his film ‘The Imperfect Plan’, alongside notable projects from peers Amirat Yakub and Emmanuella Nwachukwu.
Further recognising his outstanding creativity, Kwaku Edusei Acquah was awarded the Creative Innovator Award by the University for the Creative Arts, presented by Seyi Agboola, Senior International Recruitment Manager. The award comes with a £1,500 prize to support his continued development.
