Nigerian Filmmaker Malik Afegbua on AI, Culture, and Building Creative Revenue Streams
Malik Afegbua, a University of Surrey graduate and award-winning filmmaker, trains creatives to compete globally using AI and digital tools. As founder of Slickcity Media and co-founder of AACIS Academy, he has trained over 5,000 creatives in AI and digital storytelling. His viral project The Elder Series generated global conversations on aging and representation, while his work with Marvel and IBM demonstrates how culture and technology can combine to create commercial value.
The Real Problem Africa's Creative Industry Faces
Afegbua founded Slickcity Media to address a specific gap: Africa doesn't lack talent, it lacks systems and infrastructure to scale that talent. "The future of our digital creative economy lies in leveraging technology to remove those bottlenecks," he said.
Traditional gatekeepers-studios, distribution networks, production companies-no longer control access. Tools like AI and real-time production let African creators compete globally without waiting for permission or funding from established institutions.
How AI Expands What Creatives Can Produce
AI changes the economics of production. In film, it reduces barriers to entry. In fashion, it enables rapid prototyping and visual storytelling. In advertising, it allows high-quality, personalized campaigns at lower costs. The shift is fundamental: creatives move from being limited by resources to being limited only by imagination.
"A single idea can become a visual series, a film, a virtual experience, or even a product line," Afegbua said. The key is thinking beyond one output and building intellectual property ecosystems that generate revenue across multiple formats.
The Elder Series Opened Economic Doors
The project proved that culturally grounded, AI-driven storytelling has demand. It created global visibility, partnerships, and conversations that extended beyond the project itself. More importantly, it showed an entire ecosystem that this work could generate revenue.
For creatives looking to monetize AI-generated work, Afegbua emphasized that intellectual property is the real value. Proper structuring of deals, watermarking, and controlling access matter now. Blockchain and smart contracts will play a role, but stronger legal frameworks for AI-generated work are essential.
Nigeria's Position as a Creative-Tech Hub
Nigeria already has cultural influence globally. AI gives the country tools to amplify that influence at speed. With investment in talent, education, and infrastructure, Nigeria can become a leading hub for digital art and creative technology.
The creative industry should be treated as economic infrastructure, not just entertainment. "Culture is Nigeria's strongest export," Afegbua said. When combined with technology, it builds intellectual property, global influence, and economic value.
What Investors Need to Understand
Venture capital and private investors often view creative-tech as a niche category. That misses the point. Returns come from intellectual property, platforms, and scalable content ecosystems. The real opportunity is backing storytellers who build technology-driven creative businesses.
Government's Role
Three areas matter: policy, funding, and education. Governments need regulations that protect creatives, funding to support experimentation, and education systems that integrate technology and creativity from the ground up.
AI Will Create and Eliminate Jobs
Some roles will disappear. New ones will emerge. The determining factor is skill evolution. Creatives who understand AI will have a significant advantage. It's not about replacement; it's about adaptation.
Afegbua wants the next generation to see that they don't need permission to create. "They can build, experiment, and create their own paths," he said. "That's where real change happens."
For creatives looking to stay relevant, understanding how AI applies to your specific field is no longer optional. The question now is how fast you move to adopt these tools and build new revenue streams around them.
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