By Rinaldi Jamugisa
Skills development is one of the fundamental engines of growth for any industry. Training allows aspiring young people to enter the economy, passionate about building careers and contributing to the growth of the business. Their energy is infectious and vital, but it must be shaped through training.
In creative industries however, training has a wider effect. It not only equips emerging young professionals with skills; it drives shared value and enriches culture through the work and the content that those young creators go on to produce.
A case in point is the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), an Africa-wide network of training institutions headquartered in Nairobi, Lagos and Lusaka and founded by MultiChoice, a Canal+ company.
The effectiveness of MTF courses, grounded in three decades enriching lives as Africa’s most-loved storyteller are widely recognised. But the close relationship with the MultiChoice network also means that graduates of the academies soon go on to rewarding careers creating content for the pan-African network.
This is local content; homegrown, relevant and resonating with the tastes and the cultural needs of African audiences allowing viewers to see themselves reflected in the shows they love. These might be iconic reality shows like Kampala Creme, cult series Tinsel, or popular drama Mpali.
The films they produce are broadcast to audience acclaim on MultiChoice channels across the continent. These culturally impactful films include West African fantasy drama Grown, topical Southern African drama The 11th Commandment,
or lauded East African movie Frida.
Applications are currently open for this year’s intake of students at the MTF Academies in Lagos, Nairobi and Lusaka. African graduates who aspire to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers can now apply for fully funded courses at the industry-leading network of academies.
As part of the CANAL+ family, MultiChoice has rededicated itself to empowering young people with filmmaking, production and storytelling skills.
This homegrown content is cultural output, entertaining and inspiring audiences from Maputo to Accra, strengthening African and national identity, while creating further jobs, boosting entrepreneurship and business opportunities and building a trove of African intellectual property.
MultiChoice functions as an ecosystem catalyst, building partnerships with broadcasters, guilds, financiers and educators that scale opportunity beyond a single platform. MTF graduates then enter this ecosystem upon graduation, and enrich it with their passion, ideas and awareness.
In an economic sense, training academies like MTF are engines of growth. Feeding the creative economy with up to 60 graduates every year gives it energy and impetus that leads to new productions and fresh approaches to existing ones. Those productions build audiences and revenue, which in turn funds more creative projects, jobs and skills across the value chain.
MultiChoice stands out as a homegrown culture engine, shaping modern African culture through decades of local content. It drives social-media trends, memes, gossip, and watch parties. Shows like Sanyu, Loving Beyond, Damalie and Big Brother Naija attract millions online, sparking conversations and creating culture.
Pearl Magic Prime’s Kampala Crème has launched stars across East Africa, like Deborah Cleave (Mami Deb), whose Maldives wedding ignited a social-media storm, sparking conversations, inspiring comments, and creating culture.
Creating this culture demands more than technical skill, it requires the instincts of Africa’s digital generation, people who understand how modern Africans live, engage and consume content. For audiences, this approach ensures entertainment that reflects their tastes, lifestyles, and values.
Those who are interested in joining the next generation of storytellers can apply to the MTF 2026 cohort. Applications close on 27 February 2026. Prospective students can visit https://multichoicetalentfactory.com/mtf-applications/index.php to learn more about the MTF programme requirements.
For aspiring filmmakers, this could be their first step towards a career at the cutting edge of African entertainment. The writer is the PR and Communications Manager of MultiChoice Uganda. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
