ROK, the leading African film studio and international TV network, that until now has been part of Nigerian video-on-demand company IROKO, has been acquired by CANAL+ Group.
IROKO and CANAL+ have been working together since 2015, an arrangement that will continue even after the purchase by the latter of ROK, which was incubated by IROKO from 2013 onwards.
Led by Mary Njoku, wife of IROKO chief executive officer (CEO) Jason Njoku, ROK will produce thousands of hours of Nollywood content to deliver movies and original TV series for CANAL+ Group’s audiences. In Africa alone, ROK has produced over 540 movies and 25 original TV series.
As part of the transaction, IROKO will also take full control of the JV IROKO+, the #1 SVOD platform in French-speaking Africa.
Mary Njoku, will continue in a leadership role as director general of ROK Productions SAS, and maintains a material shareholding in the company. “ROK has captured the imagination of millions of movie fans, and they have truly supported us as we’ve grown the company to celebrate and enjoy our African culture. I’m excited to be taking our platform on the next stage of its journey with CANAL+ Group, who share our passion for creating original content, supporting new talent and together, we have ambitious plans for the future,” she said.
