Mo Abudu opens a home for African film in the heart of London
EbonyLife Place, a few steps from Parliament, has a cinema for African and black storytelling, a Nigerian restaurant and a boutique for African designers. It is the first of its kind in Britain and Europe.
London — The Nigerian producer Mo Abudu has opened EbonyLife Place London, a venue in the centre of the city with a cinema dedicated to African film and black culture.
The centre, close to the Houses of Parliament, opened to the public last weekend. It is the first venue of its kind in Britain and Europe, Africanews reports.
Inside
- Two floors, with a bar, a lounge and a Nigerian restaurant.
- A boutique selling work by African and diaspora designers, with their artwork on the walls.
- At its heart, a cinema with red seats and wood panelling, named Amani, the Swahili word for peace and harmony.
It will host film screenings, masterclasses, industry panels and live performances by established and new talent. The cinema programme, still being finalised, will include films from across Africa and celebrate black actors and black storytelling.
The project is financed almost entirely by Ms Abudu's media group and follows the lifestyle complex she opened in Lagos in 2019. Access will be through a membership scheme, open to everyone regardless of background or nationality; the details have not yet been announced.
Why she built it
Ms Abudu said the idea had been with her for a long time. Growing up in England, she had nowhere to go to watch a black film.
The world, she argues, has consumed far more of African culture than African culture has been able to reach the world, and African stories should be told by Africans. She said she would no longer wait for others to make room for African film or fashion, and urged African creatives to stop asking for space and build their own.
Her hope is that in ten years venues like this will be ordinary: more cinemas, cultural hubs and spaces for African food, fashion and art.
Who she is
Her company, EbonyLife, is one of Africa's leading production companies and a major force in Nollywood. Ms Abudu is widely credited with helping to start the era of Nollywood blockbusters. Forbes named her among the world's 100 most influential women in 2025.
Source: Africanews with AFP, 14 October 2026.
