Financing, distribution and access to international markets will be among the main issues at the Nigerian International Film & TV Summit in Lagos next week, as industry professionals examine how African screen content can move from production to distribution and wider markets.

The Nigerian International Film & TV Summit, known as NIFS, is scheduled to take place from 25 to 27 August.

Organisers say the event will bring together filmmakers, producers, distributors, broadcasters, investors, content commissioners, policymakers and creative entrepreneurs from Nigeria, elsewhere in Africa and international markets.

The Lagos summit will focus on the business structures around film and television production, including how projects are financed, packaged, licensed and distributed, and how they reach audiences.

Official event materials list training workshops, roundtable discussions, networking sessions, industry screenings and producer pitches among the programme activities. A Buyers Club and a Meet-the-Investors initiative are also available to eligible participants, offering opportunities for producers to engage with financiers, distributors and other industry decision-makers.

For producers, completing a film is only one part of the process of bringing it to market. Projects may still need to navigate cinema distribution, television licensing, streaming platforms, territorial rights, international sales and marketing before generating returns.

International sales and distribution are a particular focus at this year’s summit.

NIFS describes its International Sales & Distribution Executives programme, or ISDE, as a training and mentorship initiative aimed at developing African professionals working in film and television sales, licensing and distribution.

The 2026 edition includes an in-person component linked to the Lagos summit. NIFS says the programme is intended to develop skills in rights management, sales strategy and distribution, while helping more African industry professionals connect content with buyers and markets.

The summit follows NIFS activity at international film markets earlier this year.

In May, the organisation held programming in Cannes during the Marché du Film, with sessions on the economics of Nollywood, international co-production and African film projects, alongside meetings involving investors and industry professionals.

NIFS says its international activities are intended to strengthen links between African screen professionals and buyers, financiers and distribution networks outside the continent.

The Lagos summit will return the focus to how producers and other industry professionals can secure financing, manage rights and build distribution routes capable of taking African film and television projects to audiences at home and abroad.