Africa's first film city

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1:19I'm in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital, and a city I've watched grow into a thriving movie-making hub. I've seen it evolve since I was a young boy when films weren't on streaming platforms. They lived out here in the open, sold in traffic, posters on shopfronts, radio jingles announcing the next big release. I watched that street-level hustle with real intrigue. It was that energy actors and producers taking distribution into their own hands that helped turn Nollywood into one of the world's most prolific film industries. And that do-it-yourself spirit shaped how I think about storytelling.

2:08Today, I'm standing on a wide stretch of scrubland on the edge of Lagos, where plans are underway for a film city, a purpose-built home for African storytelling and training. In this program, we're following the very first steps of this ambitious idea as its backers turn ambition into reality. This is the documentary in the studio africa's first film city from the bbc world service i'm samuel okotja a journalist producer and filmmaker based these days between lagos and and someone who's witnessed the nollywood revolution at first hand i remember the home video boom sold in places that really mattered alaba and idumata two of lagos biggest commercial hubs and on the chas iweka road in the east pound road abba was also in the mix those weren't just markets they were the backbone of non-watch distribution all right so uh take two take two scene one take two sorry excuse me why are we having background Fast forward to 2026, Lagos is preparing for a revolution in Nigeria's Nollywood tale.

3:33On the outskirts of the commercial capital, a new chapter is beginning, one bringing together a first generation of 21st century filmmakers and storytellers. What's your aperture? What are you exposing? These are just some of the young filmmakers being put through their paces ahead of the building of an ambitious new film city called Kiboulonia. This is very much a partnership for Lagos, but it's bigger than that. It's a dream all those involved hope will take Africa and African filmmaking to a whole new level. The core partners and collaborators for this project are the Del York Group, a Nigerian development and media conglomerate, as well as American-based Storyland Studios.

4:23Here's Peter McGowan, the chief executive officer. Storyland Studios was contracted as the master planning designer and integrator of multiple visions from different stakeholders, from the government to the film developer to the potential needs of the housing that we call Story Circles. We designed this as a catalyst for change, for jobs, opportunities and economic development, but most importantly, change in the overall perception of not only Nigeria, but the entire continent of Africa. Meanwhile, TSC Global, a Singapore-based investment firm partnered in a$4.5 billion joint venture to build the initiative.

5:02And then there's the Lagos state government, providing regulatory backing, state support and 100-hectare land allocation in Ekbe. And at the center of all this ambition is the man who first imagined Kibbolania, Linus Idaosa, CEO of the company Del York International, the driving force behind this tremendously ambitious idea for Africa's first filmed city, right here on the edge of Lagos. it's early 2026 and i'm meeting liners for the first time liners spent years working at the sharp end of nigeria's media and advertising industries it was with the u.s firm cnn international where he helped nigerian companies advertise on the network and in the process produced the commercials and short films that went with them.

6:03I'm an accidental creative. It pretty much started from a kind of love relationship that I had with CNN. We kind of saw a gap very clearly as to how authentic African stories could be told and the representations made by corporates on the platform. I saw firsthand the genius that lies within Nigeria's creative industry. young talents who could produce themes that would blow your mind. So that initiated our first partnership with the New York Film Academy, having trained over 30 ,000 young, creative individuals from music to film production to cinematography, woodwork, architecture, all of that.

6:50This was one of the foundational stages for what set out for us to start our capacity building company for the creative industries. But I wanted to understand the deeper spark. What made Linus believe a project on the scale of a new film city was even possible? In Nigeria and across Africa, we have some of the most powerful, genius talents you'll find anywhere in the world. But I believe what was lacking was a system, a structure, and also an infrastructure. I remember a major event that was a very defining moment for me. We had just finished a program that was designed for people in the Niger Delta area.

7:33And we had gotten ex-militants who wanted to find new ways of thinking their lives going forward. And so we came up with a program to see how we could get them to begin to tell stories using cameras rather than using guns. It speaks to the genius that exists within the young minds we have in country. I went to Abuja, the capital city, and I saw a mammoth crowd. They were all cramped in a stadium. Hundreds of thousands of young creative people applying for one job from one government agency. And on the news that evening, about seven to eight people died in the stampede. It struck a chord in me that creative, gifted people had to be killed because of that desire to better themselves.

8:25That event is what I can trace back to one of the engines that got me thinking about addressing the biggest challenge that industry has, which I believe is structure. Of course, even without a film city, Nigeria already shines on the global film stage. It's world famous for Nollywood, a name people recognize as quickly as Hollywood or Bollywood. But fame is one thing and scale is another. I wanted to understand just how successful Nollywood really is. so i've come to meet dr shuaibu oseni at his office in the center of lagos he heads nigeria's national film and video census board it's a multi-billion dollar industry it has created employment for a huge number of talents it has contributed to our gdp in terms of production We are the continent's leading production machine.

9:30At the Census Board, we receive about 2 ,500 films in a year. That's the ones that come through us officially. There are a lot others that are uploaded without coming here because you can upload from your phone. What kind of impact would you say Hollywood has had on the Lagos economy? It has exposed Lagos in so many ways. Most of the production studios are here. They will be paying taxes to the Lagos state government. I also know that the best of the movie markets are in Lagos. I do motor in Alaba and the rest of them. The only aspect where I know that we are losing a lot of revenue is the fact that there are no production lots, no big studios to cut out post-production.

10:19So they shoot here and then they go abroad to go and do post-production. The filmmaker goes to Bulgaria, goes to South Africa. So those revenues go there. We've just had some flickers at some festivals. We may need to be more deliberate in making sure that we have theoretical releases internationally, because that's where the real money is. Even though Nollywood has improved tremendously, there is also tremendous room for improvement in terms of what is achievable. Yes, very well. We've conquered the continent. Our industry has given birth to other industries, Gollywood, Ugandan wood, Gambian wood.

11:01We've inspired production there. And so now it is time for us to begin to think about conquering the world. India has got to Hollywood. China has got into Hollywood. Even in Nigeria, we go to the cinema to watch Indian films. but I doubt whether you'll be watching a Nigerian film in an Indian cinema. The film city that is springing up in Lagos, what kind of impact do you think that would have? Tremendous impact. One of the problems that we have is that we lack the infrastructure to make movies. What is called the film city now? You write there, you create there, you produce there, and you get out to the market.

11:50If you are in your film city, nobody comes there to disturb you. Nollywood, it's a success story that has been happening that grew organically without the support of the private sector or heavily the government. It grew organically by itself. But I think that the ways that we come in to find ways of complementing that success story by focusing heavily on the quality of productions that come in, the structure that is needed to be able to compete more globally. There's always been the need for Nigeria's creative industry to have a home, a place where all can go to experience creativity at its best.

12:29What if we had the power to change the future of African creativity? What if there was a city where stories are born? This is the beginning of a new community, a new ecosystem, a new city. So the name Qibbolania, where does that come from? It was curled from the most ancient name of Africa, which was called Al-Qibbolan, the mother of mankind, the Garden of Eden, as they called it at the time. And so Qibbolania represents a place that brings memory of our true African identity that we intend to bring back with this project. And so when you walk into this place, you feel like you have been transported into a totally different world, a world where Africans in diaspora, the historians who have read about what Africa truly represented, begins to see a coordinated system that is driven by the spirit of excellence.

13:37But most importantly, the power of narrative storytelling that is meant to reveal what it really means to be an African. Wow. Why Lagos and why now? Lagos has become that cultural capital for the creativity that not just Nigeria, but Africa represents. I don't know why now. I don't think the world has yet seen the creative genius of our fashion designers, of our gamers, of our broadcast journalists, of filmmakers. I think there's no better time to be able to show that through authentic African genius in creative storytelling and productions. And it's not just the filmmakers here who see the potential.

14:29We're talking about how can we get U.S. companies to come and invest. That's Will Stevens, the former U.S. Consulate General here in Lagos. For nearly a decade, the U.S. Consulate has been supporting Del York Creative Arts with grants and so much more. Our investment in the creative industries is both at a people-to-people level, but we also believe that it's a catalyst to increase investment from U.S. companies and organizations. So what will the film city mean in practice? What's the vision for this structure we keep hearing about? So Kibulania is a creative technology district that is designed specifically to address the challenges that we have within the creative industry that captures some of the most brilliant talents from across Africa within the creative and tech industries.

15:18They will be trained in our first-of-its-kind creative technology university that we're building. It is also going to house a creative industrial district that will house sound stages, production theaters, workshops, where these talents will be able to produce firsthand, within the same location, products that will be exported, products that will be consumed domestically as well. It will have a residential township where these creative minds could actually leave, work, and play. And on the back of it, a tourism-driven, Africa-themed park that would also celebrate the genius of our culture. We also want a place that these young creatives can leave, work, and play and exchange ideas, inspire themselves, live in campuses that have African themes that reminds them of what they have done in the past and what the future could actually look like to create an opportunity for experimenting different ideas around creative products that could be exported to the world.

16:31And so for us, this is more than a business or a project. This is more like a calling. I'm Samuel Okocha, and you're listening to the documentary in the studio, Africa's first film city from the BBC World Service.

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18:11It's April 2026 and I'm sitting in on one of the early project meetings. That aspect of the communication plan has to be more the community. Like I always say to you guys, we don't speak above their heads. From experience, it's important. There's a lot of attention on communication. How the project is explained, how the community hears it, how government interprets it. Clarity and alignment are the constant watchwords. We've had this issue in the past, so when we're doing, we're explaining, so things don't get lost in translation. And then there's the practical issues of construction, and at this meeting, fencing.

18:55Regarding fencing, because we are trying to do a new type of fence, I was able to get that we had gotten quotes. The fencing comes up several times. Quotes, designs, long-term suitability. It's one of the first visible elements of the site, and the team wants to get it right. We'll make a decision on what type of fence we want to use. That could take about less than a week. Sitting here, you get a sense of how many moving parts there are at this stage.

19:32This isn't a neat linear build. The plan for Kibbalania keeps shifting. And running through it all is one man trying to hold the finance, the politics and the creative ambition in his head at the same time. I often joke with myself that I'm a Hydra-headed monster. I have my hands in a number of things on a daily basis. My day starts out with, of course, giving thanks to God for being alive and giving us this vision, talking with my team whenever I get the chance to do that, finding out where things are, increasing confidence in the project where it needs to be. because when you're doing projects like this, every setback can be a forum for doubts.

20:23Can you describe a recent day that captures the reality, the pressure, the pace, the problem solving? You get, for example, to spend thousands of dollars to hire some of the best hands and minds to build a project and then you come to terms with the fact that they might not be built out for it. They might not understand the nuances of taking a vision and taking ownership of a vision. And you'd have to deal with issues of canceled flights when you have meetings with potential investors in the Middle East or in the U.S. We're still very much in a phase where a lot of thinking, a lot of learning is needed.

21:09Discipline focus is needed. What unexpected skills or instincts have you had to develop along the way? Patience, patience, patience, patience, patience. To also be able to understand people's perception around projects like this. Because there have been several projects that have been tried like this before now. And you find people doubting, can you guys really do this? the environment can be structurally challenging to get certain things done sometimes. And if you rely on the inadequacies, the shortcomings, the frailties, you won't be able to get anything done. What parts of the work keeps you awake at night?

21:56It's important getting this right. That's what keeps me awake at night. The details, like what are we missing? What is happening in the world today? What do we learn from the success stories and the failures of projects of this kind globally? What has surprised you? It is so strange that potential investors or people who were familiar with the potential that exists within the creative and tech industries have not been able to grasp the immense opportunity that lies within a country like Nigeria and some of these African countries. And those also who are in the development finance organizations or commercial banks still haven't yet grappled with the opportunity that lies within this space.

22:42That for me has been a massive surprise. It is something that reinforces our belief in the fact that once we are able to get this up and running, then it will be a totally different story. And as Linus and his team navigate those shifting sands, there's another challenge on the horizon, one that isn't about land or funding or timelines, but about the future of creativity itself. So we are leveraging on AI. Some years ago, we're thinking about tons of sound stages, big sound stages for productions and all that. Now we're thinking about virtual sound stages. We're thinking about post-production services.

23:25What would it look like? What type of post-production services do we need? All that is changing with the emphasis we've had on animations, rendering farms, the type of equipment needed to produce these themes. We're seeing new ways of adapting new technologies around AI to facilitate the type of creative products that come out of Kibbalania. So it's May the 15th, 2026, and I've just switched my phone to see a flurry of messages from the team inviting me at short notice to a very special day. It turns out the site of the famed city is going to be blessed today by the local community. Ooh, okay So brilliant But it's going to take me ages To get there I better get out my feet And in the shower

24:40It's over three hours later And I've now arrived at the palace and wow, it packed so many people here. The palace is the seat of the traditional ruler for the Agenry community in the area of Lagos, which covers the film city site. I've arrived just in time to hear an address from the Oba or the Kabiesi, or what some might call the king.

25:19The Oba is welcoming everyone involved in the project. Linus is here along with other stakeholders and members of the community. And there's a very special welcome for a Chinese guest, Diana Chen, who is vice chairman of the China-Africa Business Council. I'm welcoming our big Madame de Siaman of Beijing Motos with all our, to tell our big beautiful ponta in China, come and search.

25:55The Chinese community here in Lagos are very supportive of the Film City project. We share one gin. We work together. We meet the gin hip-hop. As a fight chief of Nigeria, I will do my job for this community. From the celebrations in the palace, we're off to the site. This film city site covers about 100 hectares, roughly 247 acres, set inside a generous wider 10 ,000 acres. All of Nigeria's different faith communities are represented here today, and the ceremony is being led by the Oba. Father, we commend this land with your hands. Amen. Let it be fruitful. Amen. Let it be fruitful. Amen. Let it be fruitful.

26:48Amen. The Oba's blessing is followed by prayers from other faiths.

27:01So Linus talks about creating an authentic film city in Lagos. And today has certainly felt very authentically African.

27:16And those authentic filmmakers of the future are already here, being put through their paces at the Del York Training Academy in the center of Lagos. It's going to be a wide shot. Chine, what was your character's name? Tommy. Tommy. The way you dropped that bag, it was abrupt. And the types of films being made here are tremendously diverse, including drama, history, romance, comedy and animation. Seven films I've directed, but I feel like I needed more knowledge, so I came here to learn, so that when I do films, I will be able to say, okay. Like people just, I feel this, I want to know what the lights, the camera, everything is saying.

28:00I don't know if you're aware of a project called Kebolania. It's actually an African city film project. What kind of impact do you think such a facility is going to have? It's going to help Nollywood grow in ways that it has not grown before. So with that kind of thing we'll have our sets, we'll have our ghetto sets, we'll have our express, we'll have our train stations, we'll have our offices

28:31The blessing I witnessed in May was the spark. The build is still to come. I've only captured a tiny snapshot of this project in its design and development stages. But I'm told people will see the vision for Kibbolania not just on paper, but in some ways physically on the ground by the end of 2027.