Genevieve Nnaji Calls For Pan-African Film Collaboration Push

According to Ireporter Online, renowned Nollywood actress Genevieve Nnaji has expressed strong support for deeper collaboration among African film industries, calling for more cross-border productions that can strengthen storytelling and industry growth across the continent.

Speaking during an appearance on the Deadline Podcast, the actress revealed that she has long envisioned a more united African film space where filmmakers from different countries work together on major productions. She described this as a long-held ambition and said she is eager to see it fully realised in the near future.

Nnaji, who made history with her film Lionheart—the first Nigerian feature acquired by Netflix—also highlighted the encouraging rise of female creatives in Nollywood, noting that more women are now taking on key roles as producers, directors, and storytellers. She praised the industry’s rapid evolution, stating that although Nollywood is still relatively young, it has achieved significant progress in just a few decades.

The award-winning filmmaker further expressed optimism about the future of African cinema, stressing that the industry is still in its early stages and has immense untapped potential. She added that African stories hold deep cultural richness and deserve wider global recognition that reflects the continent’s identity and diversity.

Nnaji, who was recently honoured at the Red Sea Film Foundation’s Women in Cinema gala during the Cannes Film Festival, is also set to return to acting in the upcoming BBC Studios thriller series Wahala, marking her return to the screen after a period away from acting.