Nigeria's Ekiti State Launches Film Village and Fund

A Nigerian state just turned a film set into a launchpad for an entire creative economy.

Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji approved plans to convert the main filming location of "Kiriji: The Ekiti-Parapo War" into a permanent film village. The epic historical film employed over 12,000 people across four months of production in 2025, including cast, crew, and local service providers.

The film village announcement came during a meeting between Ekiti's Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Prof. Rasaki Ojo Bakare, and Dr. Shaibu Husseini, head of Nigeria's National Film and Video Censors Board. The partnership promises technical support and regulatory guidance to get the facility running.

But the state didn't stop at infrastructure. Governor Oyebanji also approved an endowment fund offering production loans to creative professionals at 7% annual interest with 18-month repayment periods. In a country where traditional business loans often exceed 20% interest, the terms represent a dramatic shift in how government supports artists and filmmakers.

Prof. Bakare called both initiatives practical expressions of the governor's Shared Prosperity Agenda, which treats creative industries as serious economic development tools rather than cultural afterthoughts. The approach targets job creation and sustainable growth through arts and culture.

The Ripple Effect

The film village could position Ekiti as a major destination for Nigeria's booming film industry, known globally as Nollywood. As the world's second-largest film industry by volume, Nollywood produces over 2,500 films annually but often lacks dedicated production facilities.

Dr. Husseini praised the dual approach of infrastructure plus financing, noting that access to capital remains one of the biggest barriers facing Nigerian creatives. The combination of a professional filming location and affordable loans could spark a production boom across the region.

The "Kiriji" film itself tells the story of the 16th-century Ekiti-Parapo War, preserving regional history while showcasing Ekiti's natural landscapes to potential tourists and filmmakers. Producers Lateef and Adebimpe Adedimeji worked closely with state officials throughout filming.

Nigeria's National Film Board committed to partnering with Ekiti on responsible storytelling, cultural preservation, and unlocking the economic potential hidden in the country's rich traditions and stories.

One state just proved that investing in creativity isn't just about culture—it's smart economics.