African films, fashion, food and art now have a new home in London, thanks to Nigerian media entrepreneur Mo Abudu. Over the weekend, she opened EbonyLife Place London, a cultural centre featuring a cinema dedicated to African and Black films, creating a permanent space for audiences to experience stories and creative work from across the continent and its diaspora.
Located in south-west London, close to Nine Elms and the Houses of Parliament, the centre officially opened on Thursday, 8 October, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan among those attending the launch. The opening comes as African films continue to reach international audiences through streaming platforms and film festivals, while access to dedicated cinema spaces remains limited in the United Kingdom.
For Abudu, the project responds to a familiar question: how can African stories reach more people if audiences have limited opportunities to experience them on their own terms?
The name Amani means peace and harmony in Swahili, while Fẹhinti is a Yoruba word associated with leaning back and resting. These details reflect the centre’s broader purpose: offering visitors a place to experience African creativity through different forms of cultural expression.
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Inside EbonyLife Place London
At the heart of the new centre is the Amani Auditorium, a 160-seat cinema designed to host regular screenings of Nollywood productions and films exploring Black experiences. Its programme is expected to include work from different parts of Africa, alongside films featuring Black actors and stories from the wider diaspora.
The venue will also host premieres, performances, listening parties, masterclasses and industry discussions, giving filmmakers and other creatives opportunities to connect with audiences and fellow professionals.
Beyond the cinema, EbonyLife Place London brings several aspects of African culture together under one roof. Visitors can expect a Nigerian restaurant, a bar, a lounge called Fẹhinti, a boutique featuring African and diaspora designers, and artworks celebrating the continent and its communities abroad.
Membership details are yet to be announced, but Abudu has confirmed that the venue will welcome everyone, regardless of nationality or ethnicity.
Why Mo Abudu Is Creating Space for African Stories
Abudu has spoken about growing up in England and the limited opportunities she had to watch Black films during her youth. She believes that giving African filmmakers dedicated spaces to present their work can help challenge narrow perceptions of the continent and its people.
Speaking to the BBC, she argued that changing the narrative around Africa requires audiences to encounter different stories and perspectives. The aim, she explained, is not to prevent African films from appearing on mainstream platforms, but to address the shortage of spaces where these films can be shared and celebrated.
The project also reflects Abudu’s belief that African creatives should take greater responsibility for building the platforms they need. Rather than waiting for existing institutions to create more room, she is investing in a venue where African productions, artists and designers can reach audiences directly.
Funded almost entirely by her EbonyLife Group, the London centre builds on EbonyLife Place, the lifestyle and entertainment complex she launched in Lagos in 2019. The London opening also coincides with the BFI London Film Festival, placing the new venue within an active period for international cinema.
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A Wider Platform for African Creativity
EbonyLife Place London gives African cinema a permanent physical presence in a major international city. Its success will depend on the quality and variety of its programme, its ability to attract regular audiences, and the opportunities it creates for emerging as well as established creatives.
Abudu has also expressed interest in bringing a similar concept to Paris, potentially through partnerships, suggesting that London could become the starting point for a wider cultural initiative.
For African filmmakers and audiences abroad, the centre offers another place to discover stories that deserve wider attention. It also gives visitors unfamiliar with African cinema an opportunity to engage with its range, talent and perspectives.
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