It was an unusual weekend in Nigerian cinemas as movie lovers and tech enthusiasts witnessed a groundbreaking moment: the release of Makemation, Africa’s first AI-themed feature film.
Produced by Artificial Intelligence for Development expert Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji and award-winning director Michael Akinrogunde, Makemation explores themes of representation, hope, resilience, gender discrimination, and digital inequality through the lens of technology.
Plot / Storyline
The film follows Zara Sodangi, a brilliant but underprivileged 17-year-old who earns admission into Makemation, the country’s most prestigious tech institute. With her family struggling—her father ill and her mother overworked—Zara sees the institute’s top prize for the best graduating student as her chance to change their fortunes.
Tomi Ojo Starring as “Zara” in Makemation. Image: ShockNg
At Makemation, she struggles with academic pressure, social prejudice, and the stigma of her humble background, all while trying to fit in among wealthy, elite classmates. Guided by the mentorship of Miss Zanzi and fueled by her own resilience, Zara navigates the world of product design, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. But as setbacks mount and self-doubt threatens to derail her, Zara must confront her deepest insecurities to truly rise.
Review from Africa’s First AI Feature Film
The film, with an exceptional cast including Tomi Ojo, Shaffy Bello, RMD, Chioma Akpotha, and other well-rounded actors, is not simply heralding technology and how it can solve real-life problems. As Nollycritic puts it, it is asking what kind of future becomes possible when young girls, and not only they, are given the tools to imagine one.
Makemation film ensemble cast still. Image: ThisDayLive
A review by Muhibat Sulaimon, published in TheCable Lifestyle, praised the casting, setting, originality, and distinctiveness of the plot of the film. “After watching the film, I can say that ‘Makemation’ offers a compelling and refreshing story, setting a solid standard for future Nigerian movies exploring AI,” she said.
Nollycritic commended the thoughtful use of music and sound, as well as the layered representation. “The cast is deep and filled with notable names who never overshadow the central story. The casting itself deserves praise. The accents are accurate. The representation is layered.”
Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, in an interview on Channels TV, described the film as the tech family movie of the year. “It’s a film for a father, a mother, and we were also very big on the unity of Nigeria. We wanted a Northern husband and an Igbo wife. We wanted to show that no tribe is more superior or inferior to the other one.”
Final Thoughts
As Nollycritic puts it, Makemation doesn’t present AI as something distant, foreign, or abstract. Instead, it anchors the concept in the everyday lives of Nigerians, reminding us that ideas, not just access to tools, are what drive the future. Makemation reflects that Nollywood is ready to embrace technology and artificial intelligence in telling our stories. In many ways, it is more than a film—it’s a statement that Africa is ready to claim its place in the global AI conversation, not just as consumers of technology, but as storytellers shaping its meaning.
