French, Nigerian experts collaborate on film sound training

The French and Nigerian sound experts have joined forces to enhance film sound training in Nigeria.

The collaboration aims to elevate the country’s film audio quality, bringing it up to international standards. Ten Nigerian sound engineers and two French film sound specialists have come together in Lagos for an intensive professional exchange focused on location sound recording and sound post-production.

The collaboration, which takes place from June 15 to 26, involves a series of hands-on workshops and practical exercises as participants combine French and Nigerian expertise across various disciplines of film sound.

Speaking about the training, Christophe Pecot, audiovisual attaché, French Embassy in Nigeria, said, “As global streaming platforms, international producers invest in African content, including productions from Nigeria, expectations regarding post-production quality continue to rise.”

“This training programme has been designed to help Nigerian professionals meet growing international demand and align with global industry standards.”

According to him, some producers still need to outsource key post-production services, particularly sound work, to facilities outside Nigeria.

“By strengthening local expertise, we can ensure that Nigerian talent is equipped to deliver world-class content and keep more of the value chain within the country,” he said.

The training is the second advanced programme aimed at strengthening the technical capacities of audio professionals working in film, television, and documentary production, organised by the French Embassy in Nigeria and MidiVision–Digital Audio Post Collective (DAPC).

Building on a successful first collaboration, this second partnership between the French Embassy in Nigeria and MidiVision-DAPC creates a unique platform for knowledge-sharing and professional exchange between Nigerian and French sound specialists.

Drawing on Nigeria’s rich storytelling traditions and vibrant creative industries, the programme aims to nurture a new generation of highly skilled audio professionals capable of meeting the demands of both local and international productions.

As one of the first initiatives of its kind in West Africa, the programme forms part of the partners’ broader commitment to strengthening technical expertise across the audiovisual sector.

By providing access to world-class training and mentorship, the initiative seeks to enhance the quality of sound production in African television, film and documentary content while improving the global competitiveness of Nigerian and African professionals.

On his part, Bayo Adepetun, Founder and CEO, MidiVision-DAPC and a respected music and sound design expert, noted, “The state of the audio post industry in our country felt like a surgeon trying to perform surgery with a fork and knife.”

“There’s incredible talent here, but many lack the technical training necessary to compete internationally. Through this workshop, MidiVision aims to close the skills gap, empowering a new generation of audio professionals.”

According to him, the program’s long-term goal is to expand its reach and improve the sound quality of African-produced TV, film and documentary content.

He noted that through this collaboration, the partners aim to help bridge the industry’s skills gap and empower emerging audio talent.

“In the long term, the programme is expected to contribute to raising technical standards across the continent and support the production of internationally competitive African audiovisual content,” he added.

Josephine Okojie-Okeiyi

Josephine Okojie-Okeiyi is a journalist with over five years’ reporting experience. She writes on industry, agriculture, commodities, climate change, and environmental issues. She is fellow of Thomson Reuters Foundation and Bloomberg Media Initiative for Africa.