When superhero blockbuster Black Panther hit our screens earlier this year, it’s safe to say that the entire nation became “Africa crazy.” Vanessa Watson of the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town writes, “Africa is economically the second fastest-growing region in the world” and by 2035, its workforce will be larger than that of India or China. It is clear there will be steady demand for urban projects and infrastructure and there is also rising interest in the eyes of global actors. That being said, there is one man who has foreseen this impending explosion of interest and is steadily making grand moves to ensure Africa’s place on the global entertainment calendar. Meet Michael Djaba…
Who is he?
Born in London to Ghanaian parents, Michael Djaba is an accomplished Film and Television Industry Showrunner, Marketing Executive, Talent Manager and Entrepreneur. With over 15 years of experience, Michael Djaba launched IFactory Live Africa. Michael co executive produced the Hollywood indie movie, And Then There Was You starring Garcelle Beauvais and Brain J White and the Nollywood award winning film, Northern Affair, starring John Dumelo. His talent management skills, lead Omotola Jalade Ekeinde named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2013. IFactory Live Africa is an award winning company (Radio & Television Award recipient, Pamper Your Mum, 2014 – Best Reality TV Series) and producer of reality shows, docu-series, lifestyle and action-adventure programming. Michael’s international experience across production, sales and distribution led to IFACTORY Live Africa becoming producers and distributors of premium content across the continent with clients including Foxlife Africa, M-Net, eTV, Startimes and Kwese TV.
What does he do?
IFactory Live is a Pan African distribution and production company. Creators of @Home With Joselyn Dumas, @Home With Michelle Attoh, Making Of A Mogul with Anita Erskine, Cooking With Omaliicha, Omotola The Real Me, The Dentaa Show Africa and a number of Best of Africa programming focusing on the 21st century Modern African Woman.
Michael, directing
Why we care…
Having amassed an incredible client list, which boasts some of Africa’s biggest stars including Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Ghanaian TV personalities, Joselyn Dumas, Anita Erskine, and Dentaa Amoateng MBE and media clients M-Net, eTV, Startimes and FoxLife, has solidified Djaba as one of the most prolific entertainment executives raising the bar of Pan African showbiz across the globe. Throughout his career, Djaba has been invited to speak at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, and most recently became a Harvard Business School graduate, having completed its annual Business of Entertainment and Sports program along with executives from HBO, VIACOM, 9GAG and LIVE NATION.
The future of African entertainment
Djaba’s array of lifestyle programming is part of a fresh and welcoming wave of Executive Producer/Directors changing the face of African television on an international scale. At any given time you will find one of Djaba’s programs being seen in 46 countries across the African continent and 10 million homes across the UK.
Learn more about Michael Djaba and his projects by following him on social media: @ifactorylive and website: http://www.theifactorylive.com/
