Alliance Française Nairobi recently convened a diverse gathering of cultural leaders, government representatives, innovators, and creative entrepreneurs to celebrate the progress and future direction of Kenya–France collaboration in the creative industries. The event brought together H.E. Arnaud Suquet, Ambassador of France to Kenya, senior officials from Kenya’s State Department of Culture and Heritage and State Department of Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, as well as representatives from creative organisations, government bodies, and the private sector. It offered a platform to highlight the significant strides made within Kenya’s creative ecosystem, reflecting the growing maturity and global potential of the digital creation sector.
Central to the discussions was the Création Africa Fund, a €2.5 million investment by the Embassy of France in Kenya between 2024 and 2026, designed to strengthen the structure and capabilities of Kenya’s creative industries while fostering cross-border regional cooperation. Implemented with Alliance Française Nairobi and Alliance Française Mombasa, the initiative is anchored in partnerships with leading industry institutions including the Kenya Film Commission, Docubox, the NBO International Film Festival, the Great Lakes Creative Producers Lab, CASiK, the Association of Animation Artists in Kenya (A3K), Baraza Media Lab, Kitale Film Week, and others.
The evening spotlighted eight Kenyan creative entrepreneurs who showcased projects in animation, gaming, and graphic novels after completing a six-month incubation programme at Le Hub @ Alliance, a co-working and production space dedicated to digital creators. Each project received seed funding of up to KES 1 million, expert mentorship, and technical training delivered in partnership with Rubika Valenciennes (France) and Digital Lab Africa (South Africa). Featured works included Ebony Witch by Lydiah Mugure, Hatukufi Bado by Gift Kyansimere, Story ya Jaba by Kisuche Kalerwa, Boi Boi by Ngoji Macharia, Jonte by Peter Kiboi, Argo by Joanna Oluoch, Uli & Tata, and Usiku Games—a vivid demonstration of Kenya’s dynamic creative capacity and the rich diversity of its digital industries.
Looking to the future, the Création Africa Fund will expand to a regional phase in 2026, linking creative hubs across Nairobi, Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, Addis Ababa, and Kampala. Planned initiatives include support for the fifth Great Lakes Creative Producers Lab in Kigali, a regional mobility fund enabling access to international markets and festivals, and cross-sector initiatives in animation, gaming, and audiovisual distribution. The programme will also introduce a regional E-sport symposium and a 100% female gaming tournament scheduled for Kampala in early 2026.
These developments are designed to build stronger professional pathways from creation to distribution, explore blended financing models, and reinforce sustainable, interconnected creative economies across East Africa. They reflect a new model of Africa–France cooperation, rooted in co-creation, reciprocity, and shared value rather than aid dependency. This shift was symbolised during the landmark Forum Création Africa held in Lagos in October 2025, which brought together over 360 delegates from 42 African countries and 38 French embassies to forge partnerships across film, animation, gaming, music, and design. Organised by MansA (La Maison des Mondes Africains) under creative director Liz Gomis and supported by multiple French agencies, the forum established a forward-looking framework for creative collaboration.
As momentum builds, the upcoming Africa Forward Summit scheduled for May 2026 in Nairobi will gather African and French Heads of State, business leaders, and innovators to highlight the economic and societal potential of the cultural and creative industries. By positioning creativity as a driver of development, this high-level gathering will further cement Kenya and East Africa as central hubs in a renewed era of Africa–France cooperation.
