Obinna Okerekeocha, founder of the Naija AI Film Festival
Photo: Obinna Okerekeocha, founder of the Naija AI Film Festival

Naija to the Future

AIFA partners with Africa's First Dedicated AI Film Festival

As Lagos prepares to host Africa's first festival dedicated to AI film, we speak to founder Obinna Okerekeocha on filmmaking, creative opportunities, and a rich future for storytelling across the African continent.

Obinna Okerekeocha is a Creative Director, Producer, AI enthusiast and Founder of the Naija AI Film Festival. Over two decades, he has helped build Nigerian super-brands in advertising, 24-hour news, energy and philanthropy, including REDTV and the Tony Elumelu Foundation's $100M Entrepreneurship Programme. Now Director of Content at Moniepoint MFB, Obinna believes in the power of the idea and the 'wow' factor to inspire communities.

You've been in the Nigerian film and TV scene for years. How have you seen African filmmaking evolve to what it is today?

I've been fortunate to witness Nigerian and African filmmaking grow from a scrappy, hustle-driven industry into a global cultural force. Back in the day, it was all about passion over resources: we told stories about what we had. Now, the quality, ambition, and global reach of African stories have expanded massively. Platforms like Netflix, Prime, and Showmax have given us visibility, but what's even more exciting is how we've started owning our narratives intentionally and forging new ways to share them with the world, especially with social media.

AI is changing how stories are told. What excites you most about the opportunities it offers African filmmakers?

What excites me most about AI is its power to level the playing field. African film-makers often face constraints: budgets, access to cutting-edge tools, distribution bottlenecks. AI opens doors. You can generate worlds, polish scripts, edit smarter, even break language barriers with dubbing. It's like giving African creators superpowers without needing Hollywood budgets.

Most people talk about AI in production, but what about community, distribution, or financing? Where do you see the biggest untapped potential?

You're right, most of the conversation stops at production. But the goldmine is in community, distribution, and financing. Imagine AI helping film-makers crowdfund smarter by identifying the right audiences, or creating new distribution pipelines that are hyper-local yet global in reach. Financing is huge. AI could de-risk investments by predicting viewership trends. That's where the untapped potential really lies.

AI also raises concerns: creativity, jobs, intellectual property. How do you respond to those critics, and how should the industry approach these challenges?

The concerns are real. Creativity, jobs, intellectual property. My response is balance. AI shouldn't replace human imagination; it should amplify it. Jobs won't disappear; they'll evolve. IP needs robust frameworks, and Africa has an opportunity to lead in shaping those laws with fairness. The worst thing we could do is shut AI out. The best thing we can do is guide it responsibly.

Naija AI Film Festival logo

This month, you launch the first ever Naija AI Film Festival. What are you most excited about?

With NAIFF, I'm most excited about creating a space that's fresh, bold, and unapologetically African and the first festival of its kind on the continent. What excites me most is seeing film-makers light up when they realize their work isn't just "different," it's pioneering and that's very empowering. It all stems from the question I have been asking myself, what is the future of African storytelling? NAIFF's objective is to showcase a glimpse of that future!

Who should we keep an eye out for in your programme? Who's your money on as a rising star of innovation in film?

There are a few names in our lineup that will surprise people, but I'll say this: keep an eye out for the young, hungry creators experimenting with AI not just as a tool, but as a language of storytelling. That's where the real magic is. They're not imitating Hollywood — they're inventing new rules.

Still from Thiaroye 44 by Hussein Dembel Sow

Still from Thiaroye 44 by Hussein Dembel Sow, AIFA Awards 2025 Commendation and part of the AIFA Global Showcase at Naija AI Film Festival 2025

What's the NAIFF vibe? If it were a film, what would its genre be?

The NAIFF vibe? If it were a film, it'd be a sci-fi adventure with a heart — think Afrofuturism meets Lagos hustle. Bold, colourful, full of rhythm, and with that edge that makes you say, "Only in Naija."

What's one thing about AI in filmmaking that still blows your mind or keeps you up at night thinking, "Wow, we're really here"?

The thing that still blows my mind is how AI can democratise imagination. The fact that someone in Oshogbo (south-west Nigeria) or Aba (south-east Nigeria) can now create visuals that rival what studios in LA produce — that keeps me up at night. We're in an era where the boundaries of what's possible are disappearing. It's almost like we can't keep up anymore. AI creative workflows literally change every week and that's so exciting for me.

Fast forward to 2030. How has AI reshaped filmmaking in Africa? What role does NAIFF play?

By 2030, AI will have made African filmmaking more collaborative, more scalable, and more accessible. We'll see pan-African co-productions at a scale never imagined, powered by AI workflows. NAIFF will be the lighthouse, the place where this movement first took shape and continues to evolve. The seeds we sow today will sprout something really big soon. This makes me very proud!

What's your top tip for anyone visiting Lagos for the first time - a favourite restaurant, gallery, place to hang out?

If you're visiting Lagos for the first time — go where the energy is. For food, I'll say Yellow Chilli for that elevated Naija cuisine, or Nkoyo if you want flavour with flair. And if you love art, the Nike Art Gallery is a must. Lagos is chaos, but it's beautiful chaos.

The Naija AI Film Festival launches on Saturday, 13 September 2025, including a global showcase from the AIFA Awards 2025.

For more details, see https://www.naijaaifilmfest.com/.