In order to capitalise on the popularity of shows and series like the South African series “Blood and Water,” Netflix announced on Wednesday that it intends to expand its operations in Africa.
Since it started operating on the continent in 2016, the global leader in online video streaming claimed to have committed the equivalent of €160 million in the creation of cinematic content in Africa. The business stated in a report that “the growth of our operations here is a good thing for Netflix.”
According to the corporation, its operations in Africa have mostly targeted South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria, producing more than 12,000 jobs. At a press conference in Johannesburg, Shola Sanni, Netflix’s policy director for sub-Saharan Africa, said, “This is just the beginning; we have more countries on the continent to target.
With more than 170 movies, TV shows, and documentaries, South Africa currently makes up the majority of African content on the website. A Cape Town youngster who looks into her sister’s kidnapping as a baby is the subject of the 2020 television series “Blood and Water,” which even won first prize in the US.
The company pledges that it will build on these achievements to expand its operations while continuing to assist regional creative industries and provide more and more African storytellers a stronger voice on the international stage.
Netflix has recently depended on expanding its production outside of the United States, scoring big with shows like Spain’s “La casa de papel” and South Korea’s dystopian thriller “Squid Game,” a Golden Globe-winning international success.
Netflix and Unesco have teamed up to finance six short films by emerging African filmmakers in 2021. One of the winners, South African filmmaker Gcobisa Yako, told AFP on the eve of the press conference: “It’s time for mainstream platforms to realise the richness and value of our stories.”
