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African film market set to reach USD 5.2 billion by 2030
Africa’s paid television and online streaming market is projected to grow to USD 5.2 billion by 2030, but this growth alone does not guarantee that African films reach audiences or generate sustainable returns for filmmakers, according to a study commissioned by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
The report, Made in Africa, Watched Globally?, was produced by Dalberg through Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme. It examines six markets: Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa. Its findings draw on 91 stakeholder interviews, a survey of 1,630 viewers and five in-depth case studies.
African film audiences demand stronger storytelling and production quality
The study notes that both compelling storytelling and production quality are needed to attract viewers. In Rwanda, 56 percent of respondents cited a lack of interest in stories or themes as a barrier to watching local or African films, while in South Africa, 98 percent rated acting quality as important when choosing films, and 96 percent said the same of plot and technical quality. The findings point to a dual challenge for filmmakers: telling stories that resonate with audiences while delivering the quality viewers expect.
Preferences also vary within markets, reinforcing the need for more granular audience data to help the industry understand what different groups watch, where they discover films, and what they are willing to pay for.
Finding and accessing films remains another challenge. In Kenya, 52 percent of respondents said local and African films were difficult to find on mainstream platforms. The study recommends better audience-data systems that track viewing preferences, spending and performance across distribution channels. This would help producers, distributors and platforms make more informed decisions about what to commission, how to position films and how to reach different audiences.
YouTube has become an important route to audiences — 87 percent of Kenyan respondents and 98 percent of Senegalese respondents who stream films reported using the platform. Yet reach does not necessarily translate into sustainable revenue for producers, as advertising earnings can be low and monetisation opportunities vary.
Notably, YouTube announced that it will raise the eligibility thresholds for new channels seeking advertising and YouTube Premium revenue sharing through its YouTube Partner Program from 1 February 2027. In the new rules, new applicants will need 1,000 subscribers and either 8,000 qualified watch hours in the previous 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the previous 90 days.
These changes do not affect channels already in the programme, although separate thresholds apply to revenue sharing from Shorts. For emerging African film producers seeking to build audiences on the platform, these changes raise the monetization threshold, underscoring the need to develop viable revenue models beyond advertising alone.
Cinema infrastructure and data costs restrict film access
Limited distribution infrastructure and affordability constraints can prevent films from reaching their potential audiences. Africa has approximately one cinema screen per 787,000 people, compared with one per 8,700 in the United States. Screens are also concentrated in major cities, with around 90 percent of Egypt’s cinema screens in Cairo and Alexandria, while more than 75 percent of Kenya’s fewer than 50 screens are in Nairobi.
Watching on a phone can provide an alternative, but data costs remain a barrier. The study estimates that 1GB of mobile data costs the equivalent of 3.1 percent of monthly income across many African markets, above the global affordability benchmark of 2 percent. In a 2026 audience survey by South Africa’s National Film and Video Foundation, 31 percent of respondents described data for watching videos as expensive.
Affordable streaming models could expand African film audiences
The report also identifies opportunities to make film access more affordable and convenient, including advertising-funded services, offline downloads, video packages bundled with lower-cost data, and payment options integrated with mobile-money and telecommunications systems. It also recommends using audience insights to test pricing, payment, and viewing packages that reflect different audiences’ needs and spending power.
Examples from the region demonstrate the potential of accessible distribution models. In Senegal, Marodi TV has built an audience of 8.67 million YouTube subscribers and generated 4.6 billion views through a free, advertising-supported model. In Kenya, platforms such as Viusasa have offered 24-hour subscriptions for as little as KES 10–20, allowing audiences to pay in small increments rather than commit to monthly subscriptions.
African film financing needs stronger local distribution networks
Beyond audience access, the study also identifies a weakened ‘missing middle’ in film financing: platforms and aggregators able to pay licensing fees and commission mid-budget local productions for domestic and regional audiences. The closure of Showmax in April 2026 and changes in commissioning by major international streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, have further reduced some established routes to financing and distribution for African productions.
To address these gaps, the study recommends strengthening African-owned platforms and aggregators with established audiences, including through investment from public funders and development finance institutions. Dedicated national and regional distribution funds could help cover marketing, subtitling, dubbing, and coordinated release campaigns.
Grants and loans on preferential terms could also support African-owned distribution companies to acquire and release more films, rather than concentrating support on individual productions. Regional licensing arrangements and closer alignment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could make it easier to release films across borders.
Osahon Akpata, CEO of CANEX Creations Incorporated: "Africa’s film industry has demonstrated its ability to produce compelling stories that resonate with audiences around the world. The next priority is to ensure that this growing demand translates into sustainable businesses and greater economic returns for African creatives. This requires investment across the entire film value chain, alongside stronger African-owned enterprises capable of bringing local productions to regional and international markets. Through our Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, Afreximbank is working to bridge financing gaps, strengthen the commercial foundations of Africa’s creative industries and create opportunities for African businesses to participate more competitively in global markets. Our ambition is to build an industry where African creativity drives enterprise growth, generates employment and contributes meaningfully to intra-African trade."
African films can influence social and public policy debates
Beyond their commercial potential, films can contribute to public dialogue and action on social issues. The study identifies youth opportunity and aspiration, gender equality, governance, and cultural identity among the themes that resonated with surveyed viewers
In Senegal, L’utilité et l’attachement, a documentary about unpaid compensation owed to communities displaced by a rail project, prompted presidential instructions to address their claims following a screening. The documentary premiered in 2025 at the Visions du Réel documentary film festival in Nyon, Switzerland, and illustrates how films can create opportunities to bring public concerns to decision-makers.
The study recommends that funders and development partners invest in local screenings and discussions, alongside approaches to track changes in attitudes, behaviour or public decisions. It also emphasises the importance of preserving filmmakers’ control over their stories, noting that editorial influence from funders – or the perception of it – can limit commercial sales and wider audience reach.
Victor Chudal-Linden, Project Manager at GIZ: "Good decisions start with a clear picture – and a clear picture emerges from many data points. The value of this evidence lies in how industry players, policymakers and partners use it together to understand audiences, address distribution gaps and help African stories reach more people. Together, we screen brighter."
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