A new fund is enriching the landscape of African cinema and television series: the Next Narrative Africa Fund (NNAF). The idea is simple: put money on the table to help African filmmakers, screenwriters, and producers—including those from the diaspora—tell their own stories, but with a truly international and commercial ambition.
Behind this project is Nigerian-American Akunna Cook, a former official at the U.S. Department of State, and the Kenyan fund HEVA, which specializes in cultural industries in East Africa.
The NNAF wants to raise up to $50 million. A large portion will be used to invest directly in films and series (by acquiring equity in projects), while the rest will be distributed in the form of small grants to assist with development: scriptwriting, project preparation, and production structuring.
The goal is to fill a gap in the financing chain: today, many African creators have ideas but lack the means to move from script to shoot, or to achieve the level of quality demanded by international platforms and channels.
The fund targets medium- to large-scale projects with budgets ranging from $1 million to $5 million. These are films and series shot largely in Africa, led by African or African-descendant talent, but designed for a global audience.
The NNAF emphasizes two things: on the one hand, "authentic" stories that are far removed from the usual clichés about Africa; on the other hand, stories that touch on powerful themes such as democracy, the role of women, climate, health, and the economy, while remaining entertaining.
To establish a strong local presence, Next Narrative Africa is partnering with the Nairobi-based HEVA Fund. HEVA has been investing in creative enterprises (fashion, music, audiovisual, etc.) for several years and is well acquainted with the realities faced by African creators: difficulties accessing credit, fragile local markets, and the need for support in management and structuring.
A group of international experts—producers, financiers, agents, platform managers—advises on project selection and overall strategy.
The first calls for projects showed just how strong demand is: the fund received thousands of applications in a matter of weeks, from Africa and the diaspora. The NNAF will only be able to support a small proportion of these, but promises solid support for the projects selected, from development through to production.
For creators, this means fierce competition, but also a rare opportunity to access funding that is currently difficult to obtain on the continent.