Entertainment

Genevieve Nnaji Calls for Unity in African Film Industry

Published

3 months ago

May 19, 2026

Genevieve Nnaji has called for stronger collaboration among African film industries, expressing optimism about Nollywood’s future growth and global reach

Renowned Nollywood actress Genevieve Nnaji has called for stronger collaboration among African film industries, expressing optimism about the future of continental storytelling and production.

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Speaking on the Deadline Podcast, Nnaji said she has long envisioned deeper intercontinental film productions within Africa and believes the industry is gradually moving in that direction.

“I think my dream has always been that we have some intercontinental production within the African region. And I can’t wait to see that happen,” she said.

The award-winning actress, known for her pioneering work in Nollywood, including her role as producer and director of *Lionheart*, noted the growing presence of female creatives in the industry as a positive development.

She described the Nigerian film industry as still relatively young but acknowledged its rapid growth and increasing global recognition over the years.

“Seeing a lot more female producers, directors, and filmmakers come up is also very inspiring to me. The industry is barely 40 years old, but we’ve achieved so much in such a short time,” she added.

Nnaji also expressed optimism about the future of African storytelling, stressing that the continent still has a vast catalogue of untold narratives that deserve global attention.

She highlighted the richness of Nigerian and African culture, saying international audiences are yet to fully experience the depth of its stories.

“The stories that come out of Nigeria, I can’t wait for people to actually see the depth of who we are as a nation, as a culture, as a continent, Africa as a whole,” she said.

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The actress, who has been on a break from acting, is set to return to screens in Wahala, a six-part thriller series produced by BBC Studios.

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Culture

WAKE UP! Art Exhibition Returns for a Second Act

Published

16 hours ago

August 27, 2026

Mariam Balogun

The contemporary art and photography exhibition “Wake Up!” is back again for a second edition.

Curated by Awele Onwordi, Wake Up! 2 exhibition pays homage to the Nigerian youth and burgeoning street culture which many of its contributing artists reference in their works.

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Titled “Young, Wild, Free”, the exhibition celebrates the creativity, resilience, freedom and cultural influence found in Nigerian youth.

Taking aim at societal issues and economic concerns, the exhibit reflects the youth and their refusal to compromise or bow despite all the challenges stacked against them while charting youth culture through art, music, fashion, skateboarding, photography and community.

The exhibition will be held, once again, at the Angel and Muse Gallery at 25 Sumbo Jibowu street off Ribadu Road off Awolowo Road in Ikoyi.

It will open on Saturday 5 September 2026 and will run until 11 September 2026
This second edition which focuses on celebrating, nurturing and exploring artistic practices rooted in youth and street culture will feature works from DENCITY and SUPERGLIDER HOUSE.

Exhibiting artists include Ajilore Kehinde – their work is deeply influenced by Nigerian street culture and works of other artists like Slawn, Peters Ejiro, etc, Chuka Onwordi – graphic designer who embodies themes of death, melancholy and beauty in his works, ZIDYEP – Abuja based creative whose works move between digital and physical spaces through art, graphic design and air brushing , Franklyn Okoye – graphic designer and artist whose works explore themes of identity and hyper-reality, Awele Onwordi – founder & curator of WAKE UP and multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans character art, creative logo design, album covers and more , Oluchi Kogolo – digital illustrator whose work explores street culture, personality and storytelling through a raw and playful visual style and Kozetuo Apeji – multidisciplinary artists who work explores experimental approaches to problem solving through both digital and traditional art forms.

Commenting on the exhibition in her curatorial statement, Awele noted that “despite economic instability, limited opportunities and socio-political challenges, Nigerian youth continue to shape culture through music, fashion, art, skateboarding, raves, photography and community.”

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Continuing and harping on the raison d’etre of the exhibition she said, “Young, Wild and Free exists to celebrate Nigerian youth while also creating a platform that supports and amplifies them.”