London
CNN
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Mo Abudu has a vision for Africa’s creative economy, with the next phase beginning in an old theatre in southern London. Nigerian media giant plan Turn the building into a hub of Nigerian food, culture and cinema.
Abudu has built a media empire across Africa with its mission to give the continent a platform to the global stage. “For me, it was about ensuring we had a voice,” she told CNN’s Larry Madowo.
Abdu announced his fame in 2014 as host of Nigerian talk show “Motents with Mo” in 2006, and first announced his fame as host of Ebonylife films in 2014 before launching Pan Africa Network Ebonylife TV in 2013.
Founded in London was a clear step for Abdu, who was born there and moved to Nigeria at the age of seven to live with his grandmother. Her father passed away at the age of 11, and she returned to the UK and when she was 30, she returned to Nigeria.
Abdu had a successful career in HR, but when she entered her 50th year, she realized she wanted something different. “I woke up at 40 and said, ‘It’s over,'” Abdu recalls.
Her friends thought she was in a midlife crisis, but Abdu said she was too scared to switch careers before. Her fears with her London ventures still remain with her, but her attitude has changed.
“You may be scared and afraid of it, but you just need to be bold and do it anyway.”
Currently, Abudu is seeing opportunities for British Nigerian films, but only if they are given the right opportunity.
“Our films travel the continent But they are not really traveling to the UK for the play’s release just because they don’t have a cinema here ready to shoot these films,” Abdu said.
She says that it is intended to make African films a business that can deliver returns, and capacity building is at the heart of that vision. Abudu has developed a $50 million Afro Film Fund to open at the end of 2025. She believes it can fill some of the gaps in Africa’s creative economy, part of Africa’s vision of “complete the value chain.”
“We’re training, you’re getting funding, your films are being distributed, you’re monetising,” she said.
Monetization is the ultimate objective in the development of Abdu’s media ecosystem. “If we don’t build it, we can’t expand the industry,” she said. “If we can’t expand the industry, we can’t monetize it.”
Abudu turned 60 last year and with all measures, it appears that he’s only speeding up. By the end of this year, we will be holding Ebonylife Place London, streaming platform Ebonylife on, and Afro Film Fund All will be released. She was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people this year.
Elba, who worked with Abdu, is working on the short film “Dust to Dreams,” and is currently developing a feature film with her, saying, “She doesn’t waste time.”
Despite focusing on the business of media, Abdu deeply believes that he needs to need more African representation in films and television outside the continent. “It’s time for us to wake up and realize we need to push out,” she said.
“We have to tell our story,” she added. “We have a responsibility to tell them, and they have to travel, as we tell them.”
This story has been updated to clarify details about the Afro Film Fund and details about Ebonylife Place London.
