In 2021, UNESCO, in its report "African film industry: trends, challenges, and opportunities for growth," estimated that African cinema could create 20 million jobs and generate $20 billion per year…
A recent study by the CNC notes that "the global film, audiovisual, and video game markets are experiencing unprecedented vitality and are characterized by an explosion in demand for content, driven by the development of platforms. Projections for 2030 confirm a very significant increase in production volume, which could double."
In FRANCE, favorable changes to taxation have made France an attractive filming location in recent years. To take this even further, the call for projects "La Grande Fabrique de l'Image" (The Great Image Factory), launched as part of France 2030, aims to position France as a leading country for filming and digital production by doubling production capacity and the number of graduates and trained professionals.
These prospects for development have prompted many countries in Africa to launch initiatives of their own to take advantage of these new opportunities.
- IN NIGERIA, the government of the Federal Republic announced on November 22, through its Minister of Culture Hannatu Musawa, that Nigeria had put in place a multi-year strategy that will enable it to generate $100 billion in revenue by 2030 through the creative industries. The goal, according to the minister, is for the creative industries to contribute 10% to GDP.
- In recent years, MOROCCO has become one of the favorite destinations for film directors thanks to the diversity of its scenery. At the beginning of the year, the Kingdom of Morocco estimated that the use of its territory as a film set would generate approximately $192 million in 2023.
- In 2017, BENIN launched Le Benin révélé, a vast and ambitious government action program to accelerate Benin's economic and social development. One of the first achievements in the field of creation and culture was the construction of Sémé City, an eco-city covering more than 350 hectares in Ouidah, with the ambition of becoming a center of excellence in the fields of cutting-edge higher education, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The filming of the series "Le meilleur est à venir" (The Best is Yet to Come), a collaboration between the Beninese government, Mediawan, and TV5 Monde, is a concrete first step toward Benin's ambition to become a production hub in Africa.
- In SENEGAL, the film and audiovisual support fund (Fopica) is very active, even though it remains insufficiently funded to meet needs. Senegal, through FOPICA, recently joined the DEENTAL program initiated by the CNC and L'image animée with the support of the EU and ACP countries, which provides financial bonuses for film projects. Senegal is one of the countries with the most vibrant audiovisual and film production industries. The DAKAR series event, the Kourtajme school, and the international success of MARODI TV productions are the most visible manifestations of this dynamism.
- In IVORY COAST, the film support fund (FONSIC) is also very active, even though it too lacks the resources to meet all the needs of a country that is particularly dynamic in terms of production. Following the demise of DISCOP, SICA, organized by the Ministry of Communication and the Ministry of Culture, was the must-attend event in November for anyone interested in fiction and audiovisual production. Furthermore, according to our information, the Ministry of Culture has recently initiated a review to encourage foreign film shoots in Ivory Coast.
- CAMEROON, meanwhile, is developing more through private initiatives than through state intervention or aid. In particular, the Ecrans Noirs festival and the Douala Series festival, which took place in succession at the start of the 2023 academic year, are part of this desire to ride a wave that is beginning to gain momentum.
In this turbulent environment, will the FESPACO organization, which has enabled BURKINA FASO to occupy a prominent place in the world of African cinema, be maintained? Will the creative industries remain a priority for the Burkinabe authorities, or will other countries take advantage of the vacuum that is likely to be created to occupy this privileged position?
In any case, boosting GDP through creative industries has become a reality that is gaining ground in Africa.