Filmmakers Mart has received new investment funding from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Sony Innovation Fund: Africa. The announcement was made this week through the company’s official platform, marking IFC’s first-ever investment in Nigeria’s audiovisual sector, and its first joint creative-sector deal with Sony Ventures.

According to official statements, the investment is intended to support the platform’s goal of expanding digital infrastructure for film and television production across Africa.

About the Platform

Filmmakers Mart is a digital production management platform for production teams that enables users to book filming locations, arrange logistics, request permits, order catering, and coordinate production teams through a single system. It was built to eliminate friction, reduce time lost in negotiation, and simplify the workflow for filmmakers and producers operating in fast-moving, under-resourced environments. The company currently operates in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, and South Africa.

Statements from Partners

Company CEO Eric Kafui Okyerefo described the platform as “an operating system for the creative industries in emerging markets”, a toolkit designed to enable collaboration, unlock opportunity, and scale sustainable production systems for local creators. He stated that the IFC and Sony partnership “validates the vision” of giving Africa’s storytellers the tools to work at a global standard. “We’re building the operating system for the creative industries in emerging markets… This support enables us to deepen our impact, expand globally, and continue solving the structural challenges faced by storytellers and producers in these markets,” he said.

Antonio Avitabile, Managing Director of Sony Ventures EMEA, noted that Filmmakers Mart is “addressing real infrastructure gaps in Africa’s production ecosystem” and praised its scalability. Sony Ventures, through its innovation fund in Africa, brings strategic connections and deep knowledge of global media workflows to support FMM’s growth.

From IFC’s perspective, the investment aligns with its goal of backing inclusive innovation and expanding opportunity in creative sectors. According to Dahlia Khalifa, IFC Regional Director for Central Africa and Anglophone West Africa, “Africa’s film and entertainment sector is brimming with talent, but talent alone is not enough. It needs the right tools, platforms, and investment to thrive.”

Planned Expansion and Features

With the new funding, Filmmakers Mart plans to expand into new markets across the continent and introduce additional platform features. These include subscription plans, post-production support, and crew training resources.

A key addition to the ecosystem is Rollpay, a payroll and payment solution built specifically for production teams. It aims at helping producers and crew to manage payments, tax disbursements, and contractor fees all within the same dashboard that powers their logistics and shoot plans.

Context

The investment forms part of broader efforts by both IFC and Sony Ventures to support technology-driven solutions in creative sectors. According to Filmmakers Mart, the goal is to provide production teams with reliable access to services that enable smoother project execution.

It also reflects the changing expectations of African filmmakers, who are demanding faster systems, fairer payments, and more efficient access to verified production support. As the market grows, so does the need for platforms that reflect regional realities and industry pressures.

No specific financial details of the investment were disclosed.