Funke Akindele, Facebook Team Up to Take ‘The Four’ to Global Audiences
Kehinde Adeleye
Facebook has partnered with Nollywood filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele for the London and Lagos premieres of her new film, The Four, in a move aimed at promoting Nigerian storytelling and connecting local creators with global audiences.
The partnership, announced on Thursday, will support the film’s world premiere in London and its homecoming premiere in Lagos, bringing together filmmakers, digital creators, celebrities and audiences to celebrate Nigerian cinema.
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, said the collaboration would highlight how creators use the platform to connect with fans, build communities and share Nigerian culture with audiences beyond the country.
Oluwasola Obagbemi, Meta’s Head of Communications for Sub-Saharan Africa, said the partnership reflected Facebook’s capacity to help creators reach wider audiences and build relationships with their followers.
“Creators on Facebook can reach a global audience, build real connections with their fans and earn money from the original content they share,” Obagbemi said.
He added that the initiative would celebrate creators shaping culture while supporting those who produce original and engaging content on the platform.
Akindele, whose career spans acting, filmmaking and producing, said the partnership would help bring African stories to a wider international audience.
“African cinema has always had beautiful stories for the world to enjoy, and it’s exciting to have Facebook as a partner in bringing these stories to even more audiences globally,” she said.
The collaboration will also spotlight Nigerian creators at home and in the diaspora through activities planned around the two premieres. These include a creator-hosted space featuring social content on how Facebook can be used to engage younger audiences and promote Nigerian stories.
Behind-the-scenes content from the London and Lagos premieres will be shared through Meta Africa’s Facebook page, as well as the official Facebook pages of Akindele and Fanntv.
The partnership comes as Nollywood continues to expand its international presence, with filmmakers and digital platforms exploring new ways to distribute Nigerian stories, engage audiences and create opportunities for local talent.
