Filmmakers Mart is a pioneering film and entertainment production marketplace based in Africa, designed to streamline the complex logistics of filmmaking. It serves as a comprehensive digital platform where filmmakers, production studios, and creatives can find verified services necessary to execute film projects, commercials, music videos, TV shows, and web series efficiently. Founded by a team of passionate industry professionals with firsthand filmmaking experience, Filmmakers Mart aims to solve longstanding logistical challenges that have traditionally impeded film production processes across Africa. This innovative marketplace not only connects users with locations, equipment, crew, and other production essentials but also facilitates smoother collaboration and financing opportunities for creatives. Dive into the intriguing facets that make Filmmakers Mart a transformative force in Africa's burgeoning film industry.
Filmmakers Mart began as Recce Solutions in 2021, focusing primarily on providing verified filming location services to producers seeking ideal spaces to shoot. The founders—Eric Kafui Okyerefo, Igho Avuiroevarie Arusi, Chioma Paul-Dike, and Victor Tobi Awotidebe—combined their expertise in filmmaking and technology to evolve the platform into a full-service marketplace. Their core mission was to address the frequently encountered pains in film and entertainment production logistics in Africa, offering an end-to-end digital solution that would elevate production values by removing common bottlenecks.
Today, Filmmakers Mart operates as Africa’s one-stop online marketplace covering all facets of production. Users can rent equipment, hire cast and crew, secure accommodation, arrange meals, and manage permits—all verified through the platform. This extensive range simplifies what was previously a fragmented and cumbersome process, ensuring that productions can focus more on creative output and less on managing logistical hurdles.
One of the platform’s standout features is its efficiency in logistics management. Film productions historically faced challenges sourcing reliable locations, equipment, and crew, especially across different cities or countries. Filmmakers Mart’s digital tools provide verified listings and direct communication channels, significantly reducing the time and risk involved in securing services. This has led to increased production throughput and boosted the overall quality of films emerging from the continent.
Apart from established production companies, Filmmakers Mart is dedicated to empowering emerging filmmakers and creatives looking to break into the industry. The platform offers casting calls, job postings, and transparent, reliable payment systems, enabling talent to showcase skills and get paid promptly. This democratization opens doors for new voices, fostering diverse storytelling and talent development in Africa’s creative ecosystem.
Filmmakers Mart's innovative approach attracted significant investment, including a $336,500 pre-seed funding round led by Future Africa. More recently in 2025, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) made a strategic investment to support the platform’s growth and infrastructure. Partnerships with global players like Sony Innovation Fund emphasize the platform’s potential to transform filmmaking logistics while increasing opportunities for creators on the continent and beyond.
Although headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, Filmmakers Mart has ambitious plans for regional expansion. The platform aims to extend its verified production services to Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, and other African markets, adapting to the unique production challenges and opportunities each country offers. This pan-African vision positions the company as a catalyst for the future of African film and entertainment industries on a continental scale.
The founding team blends filmmaking insight with tech innovation. Eric Kafui Okyerefo, CEO of Filmmakers Mart, envisions building an interconnected digital infrastructure—the "operating system"—for Africa’s creative industries. Co-founder Chioma Paul-Dike plays a critical role in product design, ensuring the platform continually evolves to meet the shifting needs of filmmakers. This leadership rooted in lived industry experience has been vital to the platform’s rapid growth and relevance.
Filmmakers Mart exemplifies the promising intersection of technology and film—known as film-tech. As African cinema experiences explosive growth, innovative platforms like Filmmakers Mart serve as foundational tools. They offer scalable, tech-driven solutions that address production challenges and foster collaboration. This nurtures a vibrant, sustainable ecosystem for content creation, distribution, and financing within Africa's entertainment sector.
Users have praised the platform for eliminating the ‘‘location drama’’ and simplifying access to cast, crew, and production services. Many note how the platform’s accuracy, security, and ease of communication positively impact project timelines and quality. Filmmakers Mart’s role in supporting large-scale production companies and independent creatives alike illustrates its broad appeal and effectiveness in revolutionizing how African films are made.
Looking ahead, Filmmakers Mart is experimenting with services aimed at facilitating project financing for creatives, further reducing barriers to film production. The platform continues to onboard diverse service providers and enhance its digital tools, planning to integrate more innovative features that make collaboration seamless and scalable. Its growth trajectory signals a bright future for film production logistics in Africa and suggests that the platform will remain a key player driving the continent’s entertainment industry forward.
Filmmakers Mart has firmly established itself as a vital technology-enabled marketplace that resolves many traditional challenges in African film and entertainment production. By providing filmmakers with access to verified services, streamlined logistics, and support for emerging talent, the platform is revolutionizing the way productions are planned and executed across Africa. As it continues to expand geographically and innovate with new features, Filmmakers Mart is poised to remain an indispensable engine powering the continent's creative industries. In a rapidly evolving industry, one wonders: how will platforms like Filmmakers Mart continue to shape the future narratives emerging from Africa?