Nollywood star Mike Ezuruonye launches major film project in Kenya - What it means for creatives

A new partnership between a Kenyan publishing house and a top Nollywood actor is set to transform African books into films, creating a direct path for local stories to reach global streaming platforms.

Nairobi-based African Legends Publishing (ALP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nigerian actor and producer Mike Ezuruonye.

The collaboration will see books published by ALP adapted into films for distribution on platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.

The initiative is designed to create significant opportunities for young creatives in Kenya and the wider East African region.

A key component of the deal is a training and capacity-building programme for Kenyans aspiring to work in the film industry.

The training will cover skills such as acting, directing, production, set design, makeup, and cinematography.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Nairobi on 7th October, ALP founder Dr. Wale Akinyemi, an author of 26 books, said the project extends his organisation's vision of making storytelling more accessible.

Traditional publishing excluded many voices because of long, rigid processes. At African Legends, we believe everyone has a story—the difference is in how it is told.

He stated that the goal is to convert published stories into motion pictures that can inspire and empower audiences.

Backing from industry players

The project has received strategic backing from the Kenya Film Commission.

The Commission's Director of Strategy, Collins Okoth, was present at the event to affirm its support.

Also in attendance was Paul Mukoma, founder of the creative arts training centre Talanta Institute, which will be involved in the skills development aspect of the partnership.

Mike Ezuruonye described the collaboration as an effort to build bridges across the continent.

He explained that the aim is to cultivate a new generation of storytellers equipped to take African narratives to a global audience.

This is not just about making films - it’s about building bridges across Africa and creating a new generation of storytellers who can take our shared narratives to the world.

African Legends Publishing has previously released several notable titles from the region, including 'The Man Who Refused to Fail' by Ndegwa Gakinya, 'Stretch' by Dr. Harriet Wandera, and 'Unsilenced' by Andrew Mutha Kabeke.

Ultimately, the collaboration aims to build a creative ecosystem that merges the publishing and film industries to generate employment, shape culture, and elevate African storytelling on the world stage.