• Shettima, Mbah, Oyelowo, Okunola to be honoured
Vanessa Obioha
As part of the activities for the 2025 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), the organisers have renamed the Herbert Wigwe Trailblazer Award, which was introduced last year in honour of the late banker and grand patron of the festival.
The honour will now be known as the Herbert Wigwe Award for Excellence. According to AFRIFF founder Chioma Ude, the change reflects the festival’s intention to recognise exceptional individuals beyond the creative industry.
“Herbert believed deeply in the power of African talent to compete globally. Through this award, we’re honouring that vision by recognising creative leaders who
are breaking barriers, redefining African storytelling, and inspiring new generations to dream bigger.”
On the opening night of AFRIFF, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, and Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, will each receive the Herbert Wigwe Award for Excellence for their immense contributions to growth, innovation and excellence in their respective fields. The closing night will also honour Nigerian lawyer and distinguished technocrat, Hakeem Muri-Okunola and internationally acclaimed actor David Oyelowo.
This year’s AFRIFF seeks to explore the intersection between music, film, and culture, particularly the continent’s most popular genre Afrobeats. Thus the theme “Rhythms of the Continent: The Afrobeats Film Movement.”
To do justice to the theme, the festival will open with ‘3 Cold Dishes.’ The Pan-African film is co-executively produced by the self-proclaimed African Giant, Burna Boy and actress Osas Ighodaro. The closing films also include a short documentary by highlife sensation Flavour.
Also launching at this year’s festival is AFRIFF Film and Content Market (AFCM). The AFCM will serve as a business hub connecting filmmakers, distributors, and investors, furthering AFRIFF’s mission to build a sustainable ecosystem for African content creation and monetisation.
Alongside screenings, masterclasses, and workshops, AFRIFF 2025 will screen over 100 films from across Africa and the diaspora, showcasing the diversity and creativity that define African cinema today.
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