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Africa: Netflix Gives African Film a Platform – but the Cultural Price Is High

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Netflix began its Africa operations in South Africa in 2016. When the US streaming giant announced it was setting up shop in Nigeria in 2020, many west African film-makers, writers, artists and media audiences were jubilant.
Finally, west Africa’s creativity and brilliance would be formally recognised on the world stage. Netflix Naija’s purpose was to produce local content for Netflix just like Netflix South Africa and later Netflix Kenya.
Read more: Netflix Naija: creative freedom in Nigeria’s emerging digital space?
Some film-makers have been wary of US cultural imperialism happening through the market dominance of Netflix and other US streamers. Others have rushed to the streamer to sign deals that will gain their films and TV shows a global audience.
Netflix’s interest in African stories comes with a colonial power dynamic that research and scholarship has not fully explored. As a scholar of media and communication, I recently examined the effect US streamers are having on the stories being told in films in Nigeria and Ghana.
In my study, I argue that despite the growing global interest in African pop culture, African creative workers need to be careful about interest from global conglomerates. We can’t talk about African cinemas going global without paying attention to how Hollywood’s colonial relationship with Africa has shaped and influenced what African filmmakers believe will sell globally.
Read more: Black Panther, Wakanda Forever and the problem with Hollywood – an African perspective
What price is being paid to appeal to global audiences? Film-makers might focus so much on the western gaze that they lose focus on telling African stories authentically and respectfully.
In my study, I analyse various films including the Ghanaian film Azali and the Nigerian movie Lionheart to argue that that’s exactly what’s happening.
Dancing to the tune of the west
Despite the existence of thriving African film and TV industries before the advent of streaming technologies, we are seeing a replication of what I call the everydayness of colonialism in the area of media representations of the continent.
Here, African filmmakers and producers find themselves jumping through hoops to tell stories that are “fit” to be streamed to Netflix’s millions of American, European and global subscribers. Global cosmopolitan audiences are prioritised over African audiences.
Read more: Woman King is set in Benin but filmed in South Africa – in the process it erases real people’s struggles
African audiences at home and in the diaspora are the reason we have vibrant film industries such as Nollywood to begin with.
This displacement of African audiences happens both in representation and in access.
Most African movie audiences do not have access to Netflix and other streaming platforms due to the digital divide and the cost of subscribing. So the target audience shifts to the elite, both African and global, who can afford to stream.
Azali and Lionheart
Ghana and Nigeria’s film industries were developed by artists who wanted to reflect their societies to their communities. I found that with Netflix’s arrival, there is a danger of disrupting and undoing this important work.
The intervention of US streamers has led to the development of glossier versions of Africa. They are universal enough to be consumed by anyone, anywhere in the world, even if it means sacrificing the integrity of stories to achieve this global appeal.
In Azali, for example, I found that the film sacrificed authentic language and geographical accuracy to tell a story for a western audience.
Azali explores the themes of child marriage, child-trafficking and rural-urban migration in Ghana. Here, a film about the Dagbamba was set in the town of Zebilla, where Dagbanli is not the dominant language. The film cast non-Dagbanli speakers in major roles to speak a language they neither understood nor had any proficiency in. If Dagbamba had been centred as the primary audience of the movie, this cultural indignity might not have happened.
Lionheart, though star-studded, departed from traditional Nollywood narrative conventions. The film tells the story of a wealthy Nigerian family and the quest of a young woman to take control of the family business. The movie had high production values and told a story that would be considered universally relatable. However, it was disqualified in its bid for an Oscar nomination in the Best International Feature Film category because of its majority English dialogue. Despite appealing to Netflix in the area of production quality and storyline, African film-makers were still punished by the Academy.
Nigeria and Ghana’s film industries have traditionally told a wide variety of African stories. Netflix’s arrival is reducing African stories to narratives about the elite and for the global cosmopolitan elite.
Stories about the majority of Africans are being erased. Africa becomes a backdrop to tell stories about the elite class.
In my study, I argue that narrative construction is an important part of identity and that when external factors begin to determine how African stories are told, it distorts the image of Africa for Africans and raises questions of cultural sovereignty.
Moving forward
It is refreshing to see African cultures appreciated on a global scale. But this shouldn’t erase narratives about the African masses and working communities.
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There are film-makers that are resisting the Netflix canon. Nigerian actress and producer Funke Akindele shows that this is possible in A Tribe Called Judah. Her film set a new box office record in Nigeria by avoiding direct to Netflix/streamer distribution and staying true to African audiences. The film tells the story of how a single mother and her five sons navigate poverty in Lagos. It was later licensed to stream on Amazon Prime Video after it made history at the box office in Nigeria.
Other film-makers like Omoni Oboli, whose approach centres the Nigerian masses, has turned to YouTube. She tells Nigerian stories while resisting the exploitation that can often come with signing a Netflix deal.
Read more: The unique strategy Netflix deployed to reach 90 million worldwide subscribers
These projects offer an alternative. As Netflix expands, African creative workers and cultural policymakers must protect the narrative integrity of African stories and resist the economic exploitation of African film-makers. Productions can capture the nuances of African stories while representing African languages and cultures with respect and dignity – without selling out to western values.
Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed, Assistant Professor of Communication, Cornell University
This article is republished from The Conversation Africa under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
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Africa: Kenya's M-Kopa Turns Profit After a Decade of Expansion Across Africa

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1 hour ago

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October 8, 2025

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TLDR
Kenyan asset-financing startup M-KOPA has reported its first-ever profit after more than a decade of operations across Africa.
The Nairobi-based company posted a KES 1.2 billion ($9.2 million) profit in 2024, reversing a KES 3.2 billion ($24.7 million) loss in 2023, according to filings in the UK. Revenue surged 66% to KES 53.7 billion ($416 million), driven by higher demand for smartphones and digital financial services.
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Founded in 2011 to provide solar home systems on credit, M-KOPA has since evolved into a digital finance platform offering smartphones, loans, and insurance to millions of customers in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, South Africa, and Ghana.
The company credited its turnaround to top-line growth, tighter cost control, stronger credit underwriting, and better portfolio management. M-KOPA’s smartphone financing partnerships with Samsung and Nokia, coupled with a local assembly plant in Nairobi, have become major revenue drivers.
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Key Takeaways
M-KOPA’s return to profitability marks a defining moment for Africa’s pay-as-you-go and digital credit ecosystem. Long seen as a test case for inclusive asset financing, the company’s success demonstrates how fintechs can achieve both scale and sustainability amid tighter funding conditions. As global investors push African startups to prioritize profitability over growth, M-KOPA’s performance provides a potential blueprint — combining alternative data for credit scoring, disciplined cost management, and product diversification. Its smartphone-led lending model has strengthened cross-selling opportunities in cash loans and micro-insurance, while building customer loyalty in frontier markets. With over $250 million raised from investors such as Generation Investment Management, Lightrock, and British International Investment, M-KOPA’s profit milestone could reset investor sentiment toward Africa’s fintech and BNPL sectors, proving that large-scale, impact-driven finance models can deliver real returns.
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Read the original article on Daba Finance.
AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
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Africa: Governor Sanwo-Olu Excited As Lagos Becomes First African City to Host E1 Electric Powerboat Race

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October 8, 2025

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“By joining cities like Monaco, London, and Venice on the E1 calendar, Lagos has once again shown that we are bold, resilient, and ready to take our place on the global stage,” the govenor said.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Saturday evening hailed the city’s debut as the first African host of the E1 electric powerboat race, the E1 Lagos GP, describing it as a milestone in clean energy, innovation, and youth empowerment.
In a post on X, Governor Sanwo-Olu thanked President Bola Tinubu for his goodwill message and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to sustainability and the blue economy.
“By joining cities like Monaco, London, and Venice on the E1 calendar, Lagos has once again shown that we are bold, resilient, and ready to take our place on the global stage,” he said.
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The championship, which comes to an end on Sunday at the Victoria Island Lagoon, began Friday with a vibrant boat regatta showcasing the beauty of Lagos’ waterways.
Saturday featured qualifying trials and high-speed races, during which competitors demonstrated skill, precision, and teamwork.
“Lagos truly shone as we hosted the world with warmth, pride, and excitement. I’m proud of everyone who helped make this event a success and of the amazing Lagosians who came out to support,” the governor said.
Speaking at the African Blue Economy Summit recently, Governor Sanwo-Olu emphasised the city’s ambition to leverage its waterways for jobs, innovation, transport, and climate resilience.
“Hosting the E1 Lagos GP has shown how water can inspire sport, entertainment, and big ideas in technology and sustainability,” he said, noting ongoing investments in maritime infrastructure and water transport.
In a thrilling qualifying session, Team Rafa, owned by tennis legend Rafael Nadal, secured pole position ahead of Team Brady and Aoki Racing. The result lifted Team Rafa to the top of the overall standings with 136 points, one ahead of Team Brady on 135, while Aoki Racing followed with 125 points.
Additionally, Team Brazil, sponsored by Claure Group, earned 51 points. Other standings include Team Blue Rising (114), Westbrook Racing (82), Team Alula (LeBron James, 79), Team Drogba Global Africa (66), and Team Miami (32).
E1 founder and CEO Rodi Basso hailed the Lagos round as a defining moment for motorsport in Africa and for the championship’s global expansion.
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He said, “The warm welcome in Lagos has been incredible. The passion of Nigerians made this historic E1 Lagos GP presented by FirstBank possible.
“Our ambition is to build a motorsport legacy in Africa. This weekend’s race is just the beginning, and today’s qualifying offered a thrilling preview of race day.”
Thousands of fans are expected at the Marina waterfront on Sunday as excitement builds across Lagos.
African football legend Didier Drogba and partner Gabrielle Lemaire, instrumental in bringing the E1 Series to Africa, will attend to support Team Drogba Global Africa.
The E1 Series, sanctioned by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), is the world’s first all-electric powerboat championship. Launched in 2024, it features hydrofoil-equipped RaceBirds that can reach speeds of up to 50 knots while reducing environmental impact.
The 2025 season includes cities such as Jeddah, Doha, Monaco, and Miami, with Lagos marking Africa’s first appearance.
The event has attracted celebrity-backed teams, including Tom Brady, Rafael Nadal, LeBron James, Steve Aoki, Virat Kohli, and Will Smith.
Highlights of the Lagos GP, including thrilling near-flips and high-speed manoeuvres, are available here: E1 Lagos GP 2025: Team Brady’s Near Flip Shocks the Crowd.
Read the original article on Premium Times.
AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
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Africa: Gambia Slip to Guinea Bissau in Wafu a U-17 Cup of Nations Starter

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October 7, 2025

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The Gambia on Sunday lost to Guinea Bissau 2-0 in their opening match of the 2025 WAFU A U-17 Cup of Nations played at the Stade Mamadou Konateh.
The Baby Scorpions made an astonishing start to the match and contained Guinea Bissau in the midfield, crafting several goal scoring opportunities.
Bisenty Mendy could have opened the scores for The Gambia twice in the first half but his shots went away.
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Alieu Drammeh also came very close to opening the scores for the Baby Scorpions during the first half but his shot went over the cross bar.
Guinea Bissau opened the scores before half time.
The Gambia reacted quickly for an equaliser and created goal scoring opportunities but were wasteful in front of goal thus the first half ended 1-0 in favour of Guinea Bissau.
Upon resumption of the match, The Gambia injected in several fresh legs to fancy their chances of levelling the scores.
The Baby Scorpions mounted heavy pressure on Guinea Bissau and created many goal scoring opportunities but failed to capitalise on them.
Guinea Bissau scored their second goal in the dying minute of the match to dart The Gambia’s hopes of coming back to their feet.
The Gambia fought hard for an equaliser and piled heavy pressure on Guinea Bissau, creating goal scoring chances but failed to materialise on them thus the match ended 2-0 in favour of Guinea Bissau.
The win earns Guinea Bissau second-place in Group A of the 2025 WAFU A U-17 Cup of Nations with 3 points in one group match.
The Baby Scorpions occupy third-place in Group A of the sub-regional cadet biggest football fiesta without a point after one group match.
The Gambia need to beat Liberia in their second group match on Wednesday to increase their chances of cruising to the semi-finals of the 2025 WAFU A U-17 Cup of Nations.
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Read the original article on The Point.
AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
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