The US$50 million Next Narrative Africa Fund (NNAF) has partnered with research firm Parrot Analytics to prove African content is undervalued and inform its first wave of greenlights.
The alliance comes as the NNAF prepares to greenlight six-to-10 projects in March, chosen from more than 2,000 global submissions, that have international appeal and can bring a return on investment.
The NNAF’s collaboration with Parrot aims to use the firm’s entertainment analytics to inform these greenlight decisions, as well as use its IP valuation tools to show that African content is an undervalued asset class around the world.
Launched in 2024, the NNAF is a US$40 million content and media fund paired with a US$10 million non-profit venture studio grant-making arm designed to invest in commercially viable audiovisual content made on the African continent by African and African-diaspora storytellers.
The NNAF said it is looking to replicate the international success of Korean content with entertaining African stories that deal with socially relevant themes while challenging the stereotypical presentation of Africa in Western media.
A NNAF/Parrot Analytics co-branded study highlighting the investment opportunities in African movies and series for the global investment and creative communities will be made public in March.
Akunna Cook, founder and CEO, NNAF, said: “For too long, the perceived risk of African content has been based on bias rather than data. This partnership with Parrot Analytics changes the conversation.
“Africa offers an abundance of vibrant cultures and narratives, and global interest in these stories is surging. We are excited to be on the first lap of a race toward mass global adoption, following a trajectory akin to the explosive success of Korean content over the last decade.”
Wared Seger, CEO, Parrot Analytics, said: “We are bringing the same global demand measurement used by Hollywood’s biggest studios to the African continent, scientifically proving that these stories don’t just resonate locally – they have the power to travel globally.”
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