Recording Academy (Grammys) establishes Pan-African hub in Kenya as Hollywood eyes film production

In what’s shaping up to be one of the most significant moments in Kenya’s creative economy, the Recording Academy, the powerhouse behind the Grammy Awards, is planting roots in Nairobi.

“The energy, the excitement, the movement that’s happening here, it’s like nothing else anywhere in the world,” said Recording Academy Co-President Panos Panay during this year’s US Kenya Creative Economy Forum.

Panay says Kenya is not just participating in the global creative scene but it is helping define it.

“It’s all about ecosystem development,” he emphasised. “You need entrepreneurs, investors, government, creators, streamers, labels, publishers everyone playing together to win together.”

Kenya, he said, is uniquely positioned to build that ecosystem. With government support, growing international partnerships and a vibrant creative scene already in motion, the groundwork is laid.

And the numbers back it up. Cabinet Secretary for the Creative Economy, Salim Mvurya, reiterated the Kenyan government’s commitment of Sh500 million to support the Recording Academy’s ambitious plan: of having a Pan-African Music Academy Centre in the country.

“This collaboration signals a powerful shift,” said Mvurya. “African sounds, voices, and stories are no longer peripheral they’re central.”

Panay sees it happening already, African music is making its way into the global mainstream, not as a side act, but as a headliner.

Still, not everyone was immediately sold on the Grammy-Kenya partnership when it was announced by President William Ruto.

“When people are hungry and hurting, they’ll see something like that as wasteful,” said Bien, of Sauti Sol, during an interview on The Breakfast Club.

“But as an artiste, I understand the long-term value. Hosting the Grammys would shine a global light on our music industry. The government just needed to communicate it better.”

While the critique lands hard, but fairly. The excitement of global partnerships must be matched with clear, inclusive dialogue with the creatives they intend to serve.

At the core of this cultural shift, Panay stressed, is the artist. “Talent is equally distributed,” he said. “Opportunity is not. That’s what we need to fix.”

The future, he said, belongs to creators who can tell stories through music, film, literature, painting, even stone carving. And Kenya, with its deeply rooted storytelling traditions, is primed to lead. As Kenya positions itself as a hub for original, export-ready entertainment, interest from US film companies has quietly grown. Insiders hint at studio partnerships, screenwriting exchanges, and even major productions setting up shop in East Africa.

Nicholas Weinstock, President of Invention Studios, who attended the event, talked about his company’s partnership with the Kenyan government aimed at transforming the country into a hub for global film and television production.

“Invention Studios is the first Hollywood company to set up a long-term creative partnership in Kenya,” Weinstock said. “We’re developing movies and shows by Kenyan creators, powered by Hollywood resources, for audiences across Africa and the world.”

Weinstock who has a number of top films under his belt, sees Kenya as more than a backdrop; it is a new center of creativity. His studio received over 400 project submissions from local filmmakers in response to a national call for content. From those, 53 films and two television series are now in development, with a dozen projects nearing production.

The Kenyan government is backing the initiative with concrete support: fast-tracked permits, low-cost housing for film crews, and tax incentives designed to attract international investment.

Weinstock described the creative sector as a “radiant industry” that sparks growth across construction, tourism, media, and more. “These stories are jobs, exports, and economic engines,” he said.

Referencing global hits like Squid Game, Parasite, and RRR, Weinstock emphasized that Kenya is just as capable of producing the next global blockbuster. “The impact of a breakout Kenyan film will be immediate and permanent not just for the filmmakers, but for the country’s economy and image.”

Hollywood is ready. Kenya is ready. Now, the world is watching.