In bringing Africa’s first AI film to life, Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji blends technology with Nollywood storytelling, showing young Africans that the future belongs to dreamers.
A Shirt, A Statement
The moment the camera focused on Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji during her Channels TV interview, with the word Makemation boldly printed on her shirt, it was clear this wasn’t just another Nollywood project. This was personal. This was history in the making. And as Toyosi began to speak, it became obvious that the film was more than entertainment; it was the result of years of work, learning, and a deep desire to ensure Nigeria is not left behind in the global AI conversation.
Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji on Rubbin Minds. Image : Channels TV
Who Is Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji?
Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji is a tech and development strategist turned film producer who has worked across AI advocacy, policy, youth empowerment, and digital innovation. She’s studied in top global institutions (including Harvard and MIT), and has led initiatives aimed at closing the digital divide in Africa. With Makemation, she steps into Nollywood’s space to merge storytelling and technology, using her background not just to build systems, but to build imagination in a continent that too often sees itself excluded from the future.
The Road to Makemation
Toyosi’s journey to filmmaking started far from Nollywood. After returning from Harvard in 2017—where she also cross-registered for classes at MIT—she realized that the world was racing into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and artificial intelligence was going to be its most disruptive force.
“You can’t face today’s challenges with yesterday’s knowledge,” she explained. For her, empowering young Africans meant moving beyond old models and giving them the skills of the future. But she also knew that AI could feel distant and complex. To reach young people, she needed a familiar, powerful channel: pop culture.
“Film and music are leaving opportunities on the table,” she said. “If we want young Nigerians to imagine possibilities, to dream bigger, then we must meet them where they are.” That idea became the seed of Makemation, a fusion of AI and storytelling designed to inspire.
Tomi Ojo as “Zara Sodangi” in Makemation. Image: The Net
The Struggles Behind the Vision
Producing Makemation was not an easy feat. From scriptwriting with GPT models to using generative AI in production, Toyosi described the process as “learning, unlearning, and relearning.” At several points, she admitted, it almost broke her. “Because of making this film, I died several times and came back,” she said.
The obstacles—power outages, funding limitations, and constant doubts about why Africa should focus on AI when basic needs weren’t being met—posed a great challenge, but Toyosi refused to give up. “We must not stop dreaming because we don’t have electricity. The world is moving, and moving extremely fast. Africa cannot afford to be left behind.”
A Film With Purpose
Toyosi saw Makemation as more than a film. It is also a tool for AI literacy, one she believes can teach faster than weeks of lectures. At the same time, she wanted the movie to be relatable: a tech family movie that still carries the warmth of Nollywood. That’s why it blends futuristic ideas with humour, culture, and social realities. Families could watch together and see themselves in the story.
Representation was central to the vision. “We wanted a Northern husband and an Igbo wife,” Toyosi said proudly. “No tribe is more superior or inferior to the other.” For her, even the casting was about unity and showing that the future belongs to everyone.
Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji and the Makemation Crew. Image: Neusroom
From Nigeria to the World
The ambition paid off. Makemation has already been screened at the Global AI Summit in Saudi Arabia, Kenya Innovation Week, and the UNDP marketplace. When it hit Nigerian cinemas during Easter, it attracted wide audiences and proved that viewers were ready for something different.
Just as importantly, the film was made largely by young people. For Toyosi, this is one of her proudest achievements: proof that Nigerian youth, if given opportunities, can compete with anyone in the world.
Audience at the Makemation Global Premiere.
The Future Toyosi Sees
At the heart of Makemation is a message of hope and empowerment. Toyosi’s words to Nigerian youth are simple but urgent: “The day young people in this country wake up to know how much power they have—that the mobile phone in their hands can transform decisions, actions of the policy makers and people in government—that’s the day Nigeria will experience its turnaround.”
With Makemation, she isn’t just producing a film. She is planting a seed. A reminder that Africa doesn’t need to wait for permission to join the AI revolution. It can lead it.
If Zara could dream beyond her struggles and Toyosi could turn an idea into Africa’s first AI film, what’s stopping you? Makemation reminds us that dreaming big is the first step to building the future.
