AFRIFF Film & Content Market 2026: Dates, Program and Registration
AFRIFF Film & Content Market Returns to Lagos to Connect Global Screen Businesses with Africa
African filmmakers and screen-industry businesses will have another opportunity to meet buyers, distributors, financiers and potential partners when the Africa Film & Content Market (AFCM) returns to Lagos for its second edition from November 2–5, 2026.
The market is part of the wider Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) ecosystem. Unlike a public film screening program, AFCM is designed around industry access, professional meetings and business development. Its program includes panels, roundtables, investment discussions, project showcases and curated business-to-business meetings.
For filmmakers and production companies, the market’s central promise is practical: create more structured ways for African content businesses to connect with the people who can help finance, acquire, distribute or develop their work.
What is the Africa Film & Content Market?
AFCM is an industry market bringing together people and organizations working across film, television and other screen content. It is designed to help creators and companies develop commercial relationships rather than relying entirely on informal networking.
The market’s official website lists plans for 1,500 participants, 10 country delegations and 200 invited companies in 2026. These are stated targets for the upcoming edition, not confirmed attendance figures.
The first edition, held in November 2025, attracted more than 700 participants from over 40 countries, according to the organizers. Country delegations included France, Japan and Brazil.
The second edition is intended to build on that foundation, positioning Lagos as a meeting point for African content businesses and international industry participants.
What will happen at AFCM 2026?
The four-day market is expected to cover several areas of the screen industry.
Production and content development
Production companies and creators need partners who understand the stages involved in developing a film or series, from the original idea and script through financing, production and delivery.
Industry sessions can help participants understand how projects are evaluated and what different partners expect before committing resources.
Distribution and audience development
Making a film is only one part of the business. Creators also need routes to audiences, whether through cinemas, television, streaming platforms, licensing deals or other distribution arrangements.
Conversations with buyers and distributors can help producers understand market expectations, content requirements and possible routes to commercial release.
Financing and investment
Film financing can involve multiple partners, from private investors and public funding bodies to broadcasters, production companies and other financiers.
A market that brings these participants together can help producers understand the kinds of projects they have interest in and the materials they need to assess an opportunity. However, attendance does not guarantee financing or a deal.
Rights, formats and intellectual property
Content businesses also work with rights, formats and adaptation opportunities. A story or production concept may have potential beyond its original market, but that potential depends on rights ownership, commercial terms and the ability to adapt the work for a different audience.
The market’s program includes content-focused sessions exploring formats, intellectual-property adaptation, animation and unscripted content, including commissioning conversations for future slates.
Who should consider attending?
AFCM is most relevant to professionals who want to develop business relationships across the screen-content value chain.
This includes:
Independent filmmakers and producers developing projects for financing or distribution.
Production companies looking for buyers, co-production partners or investment.
Film distributors and sales professionals seeking content and business relationships.
Animation studios and creators working on intellectual property or new formats.
Broadcasters, streaming businesses and other buyers looking for projects.
Public institutions and cultural organizations interested in supporting industry delegations and international cooperation.
The market’s official website describes it as an industry-access event. Prospective attendees should check the badge and registration requirements rather than assume that access is the same as a general film-festival ticket.
How should filmmakers prepare?
For producers and creative businesses, a market can be most valuable when the right materials and meetings are prepared in advance.
Prepare a concise project package
Depending on the project’s stage, this could include a logline, synopsis, treatment, script, deck, budget, production plan, director’s vision or teaser. The aim is to make the project easy to understand without overwhelming a prospective partner.
Know what you are asking for
A filmmaker seeking a distribution partner has a different conversation from one seeking development finance or a co-production partner. Being specific helps direct the discussion toward people who may be able to help.
Understand the rights
Before presenting a project, clarify who owns the underlying story, script, footage, music and other relevant rights. If the project is based on existing intellectual property, be prepared to explain what permissions have been secured.
Plan follow-up
A meeting is a beginning, not a result. Take note of the discussions, agree on any next steps and follow up with the relevant materials after the event.
Dates, registration and official information
The second edition of the Africa Film & Content Market will take place from November 2–5, 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria. The official website provides market-badge information, a delegate guide and routes for companies or institutions interested in participating.
African film production continues to create stories with potential audiences at home and internationally. But creative ambition alone does not guarantee a sustainable screen business. Projects need financing, rights management, technical delivery, marketing, distribution and commercial relationships.
AFCM aims to create a structured environment for those conversations. Its value will ultimately depend on the quality of its meetings, the projects brought to the market and the business relationships that continue after the event.
For filmmakers preparing for Lagos this November, the most useful approach is to arrive with a clear project, a realistic objective and an understanding of the commercial questions that partners will want answered.
