UK-Nigeria Tech Hub Creative Fund 2026 for Projects in Film, Fashion & Music

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Applications are open for the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub Creative Fund 2026. The Creative Fund is a flexible, project-first initiative supporting projects in film, fashion, and music with the technical expertise, digital tools, and production resources needed to deliver at a global standard. Administered by the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, an initiative of the Digital Access Programme funded by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and implemented by Tech4Dev, the Fund is focused on keeping value local. By bridging critical technical gaps, it enables creatives to complete high-quality work in Nigeria while strengthening the industry’s talent pipeline.

UK-Nigeria Tech Hub Creative Fund Focus Areas

the Creative Fund goes deep in three sectors where Nigeria is already a world-class creative force, and where the technical gap is most consequential.

Film
- Post-production, colour grading, editing, sound design, animation, the technical pipeline from shoot to screen.
Fashion
- Digital patternmaking, technical design, production engineering, sustainable fabric sourcing, African aesthetics, global craft standards.
Music
- Sound engineering, mastering, mixing, production, digital distribution, the infrastructure behind every global hit made in Nigeria.

Funding Details

What they Fund:

They fund what your project needs to remove its technical bottleneck and complete high-quality work locally.

Specialist Talent Costs
- VFX artists, sound engineers, post-production editors, digital fashion designers, colourists, the critical technical role your project needs.
Tools, Equipment and Software
- Licences, production materials, digital asset management, DRM solutions, audience analytics, and AI-driven content intelligence tools.
Knowledge-Sharing Events and Workshops
- Exhibitions and sessions that connect project owners with technical talent and build ecosystem capacity.
Give-Back and Knowledge Transfer Activities
- Costs directly associated with mandatory give-back activities carried out by embedded mid-career creatives.

The Co-Investment Model:

Project owners invest alongside the Fund through in-kind contributions, tangible, non-cash support provided directly to the mid-career creatives embedded in your project. This ensures ownership, accountability, and long-term sustainability.

In-kind contributions can include:

Meals on production days or throughout the project
Transportation to and from set, studio, or workshop
HMO or basic health coverage
Studio or workspace access
Equipment, tools, and software
Structured mentorship and hands-on learning time

How Does Funding Work?

Grant size is flexible and based on the scope, scale, and ambition of your project. The Fund operates across three tracks.

Tier 1: Core Project Grants
- For early-stage or smaller productions with a clear, specific technical gap. Ideal for emerging studios and independent creators building their first high-quality pipeline.
Tier 2: Growth Project Grants
- For more developed projects with established operations, a proven track record, and the capacity to deliver larger-scale placements and give-back activities.
Tier 3; Collaborative Grants
- For collaborative productions or sector partnerships involving multiple creative organisations working toward a shared output with broader ecosystem impact.

Eligibility Criteria for UK-Nigeria Tech Hub Creative Fund

You must meet all of the following to be considered for funding.

Your project is based in Nigeria and falls within film, fashion, or music.
You have a specific, identifiable technical production gap, a role or resource currently being outsourced abroad or that cannot be done in-house.
Your organisation is a registered company, studio, production house, fashion enterprise, music label, or creative entity with a verifiable business presence in Nigeria.
You can attach 2 to 5 mid-career creatives (people who already have skills, not entry-level) to your project for structured, hands-on experience.
You commit to at least one give-back activity during the programme period, carried out by the embedded mid-career creatives.
Your project is at a stage where it can actively commence within the programme period (April 2026 to January 2027).
You agree to comply with UK-Nigeria Tech Hub brand and communications standards encoded in the grant agreement.
You agree to submit monthly progress reports and financial records (receipts and invoices) to Tech4Dev.