Mo Abudu: Brave the vision for the African cinema

Mo Abudu: Brave the vision for the African cinema

Mo Abudu has a vision for Africa's creative economy, and the next step begins in an old theater in Südlondon. The Nigerian media mogulin plans to make the building a center for Nigerian dishes, culture and cinema.

a pioneer for the African creative industries

Abudu has built up a media empire all over Africa, with the aim of giving the continent a voice on the global stage. "It was about ensuring that we have a voice," she said in an interview with the CNN presenter Larry Madowo.

The advancement to celebrity

Abudu gained awareness in 2006 by moderating the Nigerian talk show "Moments with Mo", followed by the founding of the Pan-African network Ebonylife TV in 2013 and Ebonylife film. London.

a step back to home

The decision to settle down in London was obvious for Abudu, finally she was born there and moved to her grandmother in Nigeria at the age of seven. When her father died, she returned to the United Kingdom at the age of 11. She returned to Nigeria at the age of 30.

from HR to the media world

Although Abudu had a successful career in HR, she found that she wanted something different than she entered her fifth decade of life. "I woke up at the age of 40 and said, 'I have enough'," recalls Abudu.

her friends thought she would go through a midlife crisis, but Abudu says herself that she was simply too scared to make a change of career earlier. This fear also accompanies her in her project in London, she admits, but her attitude has changed. "You may be afraid to do that, but you just have to be brave and still do it," she emphasizes.

a film fund for African storytellers

Today, Abudu sees opportunities for Nigerian films in the United Kingdom - but only if they are offered the right possibilities. "Our films travel across the continent, but they do not reach the United Kingdom for cinema projections, simply because we have no cinemas here that are ready to show these films," she explains.

She is determined to make African cinema a business that can throw yields and emphasizes that the capacity structure is central. Abudu developed the $ 50 million Afro Film Fund, which is to be opened at the end of 2025. She believes that he can close some gaps in the African creative industries, as part of her vision to complete the "value chain" of the African cinema.

monetization as the main goal

"We train, receive funding, the film is distributed and you monetize," she says. Monetarization is the ultimate goal in Abudus development of the media ecosystem. "If we don't build it up, we cannot scale the industry," she explains. "If we cannot scale the industry, we cannot monetize."

success and awards

Abudu celebrated her 60th birthday last year and seems to continue at full speed. By the end of this year, Ebonylife Place London, the Streaming platform Ebonylife on and the Afro Film Fund will all be launched. This year it was from time

Elba, who worked with Abudu on the short film "Dust to Dreams" and is currently developing a feature film with her, wrote her biography for time and highlights: "It doesn't take much time. She has a contagious CAN-DO posture and tenacity to overcome any obstacle."

the need for African stories

Despite her focus on the media business, Abudu firmly believes in the need for a stronger African representation in films and on television outside of the continent. "It is time for us to wake up and realize that we have to push our way out," she says. "We have to tell our own stories," she adds. "We are responsible for telling them, and while we are doing this they have to travel."

This article has been updated to clarify details about the Afro Film Fund and Ebonylife Place London.