Silverbird Group Signs $50m Deal With South Africa’s AAA Entertainment

Nigeria’s Silverbird Group has signed a deal worth $50m with AAA Entertainment, a South African company that is into the distribution and sales of African content locally and globally

The deal which was announced in a statement by African Export Import Bank’s ( Afreximbank) is to develop and produce cinematic African feature films on the continent and exclusively by African talent.

Based on the deal, “AAA Entertainment will bring to the partnership an experienced film development, financing and production team, facilities and partnership network, while Silverbird Group brings its cinema exhibition and distribution infrastructure and experience in West Africa and the rest of the continent, as well as its studio facilities and network in Los Angeles.”

The South African company has distributed and produced some of the top South African box office hits and is looking to expand that success to the rest of the continent.

Afreximbank said, the “deal is valued at $50m and will focus on the African Export Import Bank’s (Afreximbank) $500m Creative Industry Programme for financing.

“This partnership agreement was signed today at the Afreximbank pavilion at the Intra African Trade Fair (IATF) in Durban South Africa and was witnessed by Afreximbank’s Augustine Chukwuemeka Uzoh , ManagerTrade and Corporate Finance (Intra-African Trade Initiative).

Ben Murray-Bruce, Founder at Silverbird Group said, “Silverbird has a long history in the Nigerian media and entertainment sector. We began our journey as a live entertainment events company and expanded that into a network of Television and radio station properties.

“We have successfully built the premiere West African film distribution & exhibition company and now it is with excitement that we pivot into the feature
film production sphere by announcing our partnership with AAA Entertainment.

“Combined with Silverbird Group’s reach and understanding of the rest of the African cinema market, will ensure that a slate of well-developed and produced films can reach a global audience, while being relatable and entertaining for the domestic African market.”

Responding to the deal, Mayenzeke Baza, Head of Distribution and Financing at AAA Entertainment said that the partnership will enable the companies raise more funding.

Baza said, “We are excited about this partnership as it provides an opportunity to create great content between the two biggest markets on the continent, namely Nigeria and South Africa, and allows us to access pan African private equity and state funding.”