The founder of AnimaxFYB Studios has urged the government to take deliberate steps to formalise Ghana’s animation sector, warning that without clear policy direction and investment in technical training, the country could miss a rare opportunity to position itself as a leading hub on the continent.

Francis Y. Brown made the remarks at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, March 6, 2026, following the studio’s return from the TAIDO African Animation Awards in Tokyo, Japan, where AnimaxFYB received three awards for its contribution to African animation and storytelling.

“Ghana can become the animation hub of West Africa,” Mr Brown said.

He added that achieving that goal would require moving beyond the success of individual studios towards a coordinated national system. “We need to institutionalise it where it becomes not just a leading animation studio, but a leading animation hub that has all the players involved.”

Mr Brown based his argument on industry data. According to Precedence Research, the global animation market was valued at 436 billion dollars in 2024 and is projected to reach about 895 billion dollars by 2034. The African animation market, according to MarketDataForecast, was estimated at 15.7 billion dollars in 2025 and is expected to grow to 29.5 billion dollars by 2033.

“We only have eight years for this industry to double its revenue,” he said, pointing to streaming platforms, artificial intelligence, video games and educational media as the main drivers of growth.

Mr Brown noted that changes in how major global studios operate have created an opening for countries like Ghana. He explained that large studios were reducing their in-house workforce and turning to talent across the world.

“Studios are no longer interested in having large numbers within their spaces. They are relying heavily on talent globally, which we are not excluded from,” he said.

He also highlighted intellectual property as a growing source of economic value, contrasting it with Africa’s dependence on raw materials. “IP creation is the new gold. Developed countries are chasing intellectual property, not extractive materials,” he said.

Mr Brown said the recognition in Tokyo, achieved through the TAIDO Project—a Japan-Africa animation initiative supported by the Japan External Trade Organisation and Sony’s non-profit organisation Arc and Beyond—showed what Ghanaian studios could achieve with access to international mentorship and technical systems.

Gideon Aryeequaye, Acting Executive Secretary of the Creative Arts Agency, said at the briefing that animation had not received enough attention in national policy.

He called for curriculum development starting from basic school level. “There has to be an intentional approach, a deliberate attempt, to pay attention to the sector,” he said, adding that discussions with the ministry were ongoing and could be taken to Cabinet.

The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Hiroshi Yoshimoto, congratulated AnimaxFYB on its awards and described the TAIDO Project as a step towards stronger ties between Ghana and Japan.

He noted that 2027 would mark the centenary of Dr Hideyo Noguchi’s arrival in Ghana, seventy years of diplomatic relations, and fifty years of JICA volunteer activities in the country.

“Let this be the start of a new era where Japanese technology and the Ghanaian soul create content that captivates the entire world,” Ambassador Yoshimoto said.

Mr Brown concluded by describing animation as more than entertainment, arguing that it plays a central role in modern storytelling.

“Animation is core infrastructure for digital storytelling,” he said. “Art and science is truly the development factor of each and every country in this world.”