Nigerian media executive and filmmaker Mo Abudu has unveiled EbonyLife Place London, a cinema and cultural center dedicated to African and Black films, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan in attendance at the official opening on Thursday, October 8, 2026.

Located on Wandsworth Road near Nine Elms in southwest London, the venue features a 160-seat cinema called the Amani Auditorium, alongside a restaurant, lounge, retail space, and art gallery. It is designed to bring African films and other aspects of the continent’s culture to audiences in the United Kingdom.

Speaking to AFP, Abudu said the project was intended to give African filmmakers a permanent venue to reach audiences in London rather than depend on occasional screenings and film festivals.

“It’s time to tell our own stories,” she said.

The venue is expected to screen productions from Nigeria and other African countries, as well as films featuring Black actors. Abudu also said its program would include master classes, industry discussions, and cultural events.

Other facilities at EbonyLife Place London include the Afrobeat Restaurant, Fẹhìntí Lounge, Maji Concession & Bar, Zuri Retail, and The Living Wall Gallery. The spaces are intended to accommodate food, fashion, jewelry, beauty products, and artwork alongside the cinema program.

Khan attended the opening ceremony and welcomed the project as a space for African and Black creative work. In a post on X, he wrote, “From Nollywood to London, the story continues.”

The London venue follows the establishment of EbonyLife Place in Lagos in 2019. Abudu announced the acquisition of the London property in March 2025 and later shared plans to open the center in October 2026.

The project expands EbonyLife’s activities beyond film and television production into cinema exhibition and cultural programming. It also provides a dedicated London venue for Nigerian and other African productions seeking audiences outside the continent.