Accra, Jan 26, GNA-Ghanaian and Nigerian creatives are joining forces to produce a new Pan-African television series titled Kismet.
It is a move aimed at strengthening intra-African collaboration and positioning the creative economy as a driver of integration and development across the continent.
The series, which will be filmed in Nigeria, brings together talent from Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, South Africa, and East Africa, and is expected to deepen cooperation among African creatives while addressing critical social issues that cut across national borders.
Speaking on the project, the Producer of Kismet, Paul Joegad, described the series as a practical example of how Africans can work together to tell their own stories and build stronger cultural bonds.
The US-based Ghanaian producer, who recently called on Africans in the Diaspora to invest their skills and resources in Africa’s creative economy, noted that collaboration remained essential to the growth and global competitiveness of African content.
According to Paul Joegad, Kismet was intentionally designed as a Pan-African project, both in casting and in perspective, to reflect the shared experiences and challenges faced across the continent.
He added that storytelling had the power to unite Africans and contribute meaningfully to economic growth through job creation and skills development.
As part of the production strategy, Joegad revealed that he reached out to Ghanaian casting director Mawuko Kuadzi, the first African to win an ARTIOS Award, to lead casting for the series.
He said Mawuko Kuadzi was currently searching across Africa to assemble a strong ensemble cast that reflected the diversity and depth of African talent.
Mawuko Kuadzi, confirmed that casting was underway and that announcements would be made in the coming weeks.
He described the project as a major opportunity for African creatives and stressed that collaboration was critical to survival and growth within the creative industry.
According to him, working together across borders was no longer optional but necessary.
He revealed plans to travel across Africa to ensure the best of creatives were assembled for this Ghanaian led project in Nigeria.
The President of the African Chamber of Content Producers, Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, also welcomed the project.
He explained that the title Kismet, meaning fate, was particularly symbolic, as the story would explore whether Africa’s destiny was already determined or if Africans could work collectively to shape a different future through actions of the lead character of the series.
He called on investors and businesses across the continent to support the creative economy, noting its potential to generate employment for young people while strengthening cultural ties.
In particular, he urged the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to consider strategic investment in the creative sector, describing it as a powerful vehicle for African product placement, industrial growth, and intra-African trade.
He stated, “Africa’s creative economy should be empowered through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to leverage a market of 1.3 billion people. If just 20% of this market streamed African content, the impact would be significant. I urge the African Union and AfCFTA to prioritize this goal in the services protocol, with the aim of creating an integrated market, boosting intra-African trade, and encouraging investment within the sector.”
The Chamber also encouraged Ghanaians and Nigerians to take the lead in promoting Pan-African brotherhood through collaborations like the Kismet series, observing that the two nations had a rich shared history and are known for lively exchanges on social media, especially debates over culture such as the famous jollof rice rivalry, football, music, dance, and more.
The Chamber highlighted that these friendly interactions reflected family unity and should be used to foster greater integration and cooperation.
“ It sees the relationship between Ghana and Nigeria as healthy competition, suggesting it should serve as a model for contests and collaborations throughout the continent”.
Kismet is expected to serve as a statement of intent for Pan-African collaboration through storytelling, culture, and shared economic purpose.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba