The Nigeria-South Africa Audio-Visual Cooperation Agreement signed last December has come into effect.
Nigerian and South African leaders Muhammadu Buhari and Cyril Ramaphosa endorsed the agreement at the 10th Session of Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission last year.
Announcing the agreement’s take-off, the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) explained in a statement by its spokesperson, Brian Etuk, that it would enhance rapid cross border and investment inflow into the nation’s film industry.
“It will enable Nigeria and South Africa to cooperate, promote and develop the art and business of film and cinema through structured collaboration and partnerships between its filmmakers and audio-visual production companies,” Etuk said.
He added that the NFC responsible for implementing the agreement’s provisions on Nigeria’s behalf would soon commence engagements with multi-sectoral stakeholders to benefit from it entirely. These include filmmakers and players in the hospitality, insurance, tourism and airline businesses.
“In line with the provisions of the agreement, the NFC will also make public soon a streamlined procedure, requirements and processes of accessing the provisions of the cooperation agreement. Some include mode of application and filling processes, documents to submit by applicants and record time for the processing of the received application,” Etuk said.
He also said that a clearance letter/certificate would be issued to successful Nigerian applicants, who will be required to tender same by way of certified true copy to the competent authority of South Africa (South Africa – National Film & Video Foundation) through their South African co-producer and vice-versa, conveying approval for the audio-visual co-production.
Highlighting other requirements, the NFC’s spokesperson said that the entity desiring to enter into an audio-visual co-production with a South African partner must be registered with relevant agencies in addition to other requirements.
He added that applications must also contain information on financial capabilities, technical and creative contributions, the proposed location for the audio-visual shooting, and a list of its crew members and their nationalities.
Etuk further disclosed that all audio-visual co-production projects undertaken in compliance with the cooperation agreement and guidelines emplaced by the competent authorities of both countries would receive recognition, acknowledgement and other essential support.
Commenting on the agreement, NFC’s Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, said it’s an opportunity to develop Nigeria’s creative economy.
He further said that the Nigerian-South African Audio-visual Cooperation affirms the NFC’s commitment to spreading the country’s motion picture ingenuity within and outside Africa.
Maduekwe assured that other co-production agreements would come into effect immediately they receive the required procedural attention.
