ROK, an IROKO+ incubated African film studio and international TV network, has been acquired by CANAL+ Group, comprising production, content distribution and publishing channels.
The move comes as CANAL+ Group looks to strengthen its content production reach in Nigeria and across Africa.
In a statement about the deal, Mary Njoku said, “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.”
As part of the acquisition, ROK founder, Mary Njoku, will continue in a leadership role as Directeur General of ROK Productions SAS, and maintains a material shareholding in the company.
ROK will produce thousands more hours of Nollywood content to deliver movies and original TV series for CANAL+ Group’s audiences in FSA. As part of the acquisition, CANAL+ Group will continue to collaborate with IROKO Ltd, with non-exclusive content distribution of ROK content via the IROKOtv SVOD app.
ROK was incubated from 2013 onwards, by IROKO Ltd, a top African digital content distributor for Nollywood content, whose flagship platform IROKOtv has transformed how Nollywood content is accessed and consumed around the world.
The deal will IROKO Ltd take full control of the JV IROKO+, the #1 SVOD platform in French-speaking Africa.
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Jacques du PUY, CEO of CANAL+ International says, “Through this acquisition CANAL+ Group is very happy to develop and enhance the catalogue of Nollywood contents and expand the ROK brand inside and outside the African continent”
Launched in 2013, ROK Studios is a top African film and television studio and production house based in Lagos, Nigeria. ROK specialize in the creation of content in partnership with the industry’s foremost creative talent. ROK has developed, produced and financed film and TV series for distribution platforms globally. ROK owns one of the largest content libraries in Nigeria, with blockbuster films and series, as well as an Animation Studio called ROK Animations Studios.
In Africa alone, ROK has produced over 540 movies and 25 original TV series, making ROK one of the most prolific production houses in Nollywood.
