Lagos is stepping into the global spotlight as the only African partner city for the Goes to Cannes programme at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival’s Marché du Film, the world’s premier film marketplace.
This milestone positions the Nigerian city alongside international hubs such as Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Milan, offering a curated stage for filmmakers to present their work to financiers and festival programmers.
The city’s African representation will be steered by the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), which will handpick five to seven post-production African films for exclusive showcase and investor engagement. The chosen films must not have premiered elsewhere or been released online, ensuring fresh content grabs global attention.
This partnership builds on AFRIFF’s collaboration with the Nigerian Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, which launched the AFRIFF Film and Content Market during last year’s Cannes event.
For filmmakers, the platform opens doors to co-production deals, distribution agreements, and early festival placements, signalling Lagos and Nigeria’s creative industry as a serious contender in global cinema. Notably, Nigerian films like My Father’s Shadow, which premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard in 2025, show the growing clout of African storytelling on the world stage.
