Kwara Creative Economy Booms as Sugar Factory Film Studios Unveils Maiden Movie ‘Ajuwaya Series’ with First Lady Grant
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is elated over the successful unveiling of the maiden movie, “Ajuwaya Series,” produced by the state-owned Sugar Factory Film Studios. The Governor hailed the project as a major milestone for the state’s burgeoning creative economy and a significant step for Nigerian cinema.
The state-backed studio, which the Managing Director, Mr. Gbenga Titiloye, proudly claimed is the “only functional film studio in Africa,” produced 85 per cent of the Ajuwaya Series. The project’s completion was made possible through a crucial financial boost—a million grant from Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at a media briefing in Ilorin, Mr. Titiloye described the event as marking “the dawn of a new era in Nigerian cinema and cultural expression.” He commended Governor AbdulRazaq’s vision, noting that the investment has positioned the state to attract Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) into the creative sector and strengthen Nigeria’s global film industry standing.
The Commissioner for Communications, Hon. Bola Olukoju, highlighted the immediate socio-economic benefits, describing the production as a “big win” for Kwara. She revealed that the filming process generated a vast creative ecosystem, benefiting over 1,211 participants, including local fashion designers, caterers, transporters, and artisans. “If we can have this regularly, it is going to open up the ecosystem of the creative industry. Every part of the economy benefited in the course of producing the film,” Olukoju stated.
Deputy Chief of Staff, Princess Olubukola Babalola, also urged the state’s youth to leverage the facility to tap into career opportunities in the arts.
The studio, which was refurbished from the defunct Tate and Lyle Sugar Factory, is a core component of Governor AbdulRazaq’s strategic plan to diversify Kwara’s economy away from being primarily civil service-dependent by making it a major hub for high-quality film production and creative excellence in West Africa. The successful debut of the Ajuwaya Series is seen as concrete proof that the administration’s faith in its creative youth and infrastructure investment is yielding tangible results.
[logo-slider]
