RedHot Concepts, the production company behind the Nigerian feature film Mother’s Love, today announced that 100 percent of the company’s theatrical proceeds from the film’s Nigerian cinema run will be donated in full to Slum2School Africa, a Nigerian-based non-governmental organization providing educational access, scholarships, and community development programs for children in underserved communities. The film is distributed in Nigeria by Nile Entertainment.
The announcement was made publicly at a private screening event on March 13, 2026, attended by over 200 guests, including approximately 50 members of the Makoko community itself; among them traditional rulers whose presence underscored the direct connection between the film’s story and the lives it now seeks to transform. The event was organized in just 48 hours, with attendees traveling from as far as Abuja to be present.
Among those present were Zakari Momodu of the Dangote Foundation; Ifueko Omoigui-Okauro, Board Member of MTN and Nigerian Breweries; Alero Ayida-Otobo, CEO of the School of Politics and Government and Board Chair of Slum2School Africa; Ambassador Nimi Akinkugbe, former Nigerian Ambassador to Greece; Adeola Azeez, co-founder of WIMBIZ (Women in Management, Business and Public Service); Rabi Isma, Chairperson of ActionAid Nigeria; Jummai Musa, Country Director of Street Child International; Dr. Victoria Ekhomu, actor in the film and Chairman of Transworld Security Systems; Omolara Cookey, CEO of Noji Arts; Ayodele Alabi of Nigerian Breweries; and Patrick McMicheals, CEO of The Fat Butcher. The evening also welcomed traditional rulers from the Makoko community: Baale Alashe Francis Agoyon, Chief Kpanke Victor Usa, and Chief Shemede Emmanuel, whose presence gave the announcement its most profound dimension: the community whose story is told on screen, bearing witness to the gift made in their name.
The Board of Directors of RedHot Concepts has formally resolved that all proceeds accruing to the company from the theatrical cinema run of Mother’s Love, covering its 8-to-10-week Nigerian exhibition period are directed in full to Slum2School Africa. The funds will support educational programs and, where possible, housing assistance for families in vulnerable communities, with particular focus on the Makoko waterside community in Lagos, whose stories and lived realities are embedded in the film’s narrative.
The donation will be independently overseen by a legal adviser and auditor appointed for the purpose, ensuring transparent and accountable disbursement.
A Historic First — In Africa and Globally
According to research first reported by Black Film Wire, a leading Pan-African film trade publication, only 4 films in global cinema history have committed 100 percent of theatrical proceeds as distinct from profits to charitable causes. No prior African film has been documented to have done so.
Prior global examples of film philanthropy include Steven Spielberg’s decision to donate his personal earnings from Schindler’s List to the USC Shoah Foundation, the #BlackPantherChallenge which raised over $1 million for free community screenings, and Disney’s Force for Change campaign tied to Star Wars: The Force Awakens which raised over $4.26 million for UNICEF. In every case, the model was partial, profit-based, or campaign-adjacent. None involved a production company formally resolving to transfer 100 percent of its own proceeds for the full duration of a theatrical run.
On the African continent, impactful film philanthropy precedents include Beat the Drum (South Africa/U.S.), whose distribution proceeds supported the establishment of a children’s village in Kenya; Shout Gladi Gladi, which partnered with the Freedom From Fistula Foundation to raise funds for surgical programs; and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019), which amplified global giving for education and energy access in Malawi. These are meaningful models but structurally distinct from the total, unconditional proceeds commitment made by Mother’s Love.
A Career Milestone and a Personal Mission
Mother’s Love marks the directorial debut of Nollywood legend, TIME 100 honoree, UN World Food Programme Ambassador, and global screen icon Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, a significant milestone coming in her 30th year in the Nigerian film industry. The film centers on Labake, a mother whose relentless sacrifice for her daughter Bisi and her unwavering belief in Bisi’s friend Obaro sets him on a journey from the Makoko waterfront to international recognition as a tech innovator.
The parallel between Omotola’s on-screen character and her off-screen decision has not gone unnoticed. In giving 100 percent of the film’s proceeds to the education of underserved children, the very children of communities like Makoko, she has, in a real sense, extended the act of mothering beyond the screen. Nigerian industry observer Dami Dawson captured it this way: “The Nollywood First: When Omotola Turned a Film into a Gift for Nigeria.”
“The storyline mirrored what 100 percent of our learners experience: being judged before they are seen. We felt it was important to leverage this platform. There was nothing that was planned. There was nothing expected. There was nothing anticipated.”
— Otto Orondaam, Founder & Executive Director, Slum2School Africa
“For more than three decades, my work in film has allowed me to tell stories that travel far beyond the screen. The film Mother’s Love was created to tell one of those stories- set within the Makoko community of Lagos, shining light on a universal truth: the widening gap between those who have access to opportunity and those who must struggle daily simply to reach it.”
She continued:
“Tonight, Mother’s Love becomes more than a film. It becomes a bridge between storytelling and social transformation, a promise to use our voices, our stories, and our influence to expand possibility where it is needed most.”
Mother’s Love is produced by RedHot Concepts and distributed in Nigeria by Nile Entertainment. Marking the directorial debut of Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde in her 30th year in the Nigerian film industry, the film explores themes of maternal sacrifice, social inequality, and the transformative power of education against the backdrop of communities including Makoko, Lagos. It was produced in partnership with Slum2School Africa, which provided community access, filming locations, and institutional support throughout production.
Prior to its Nigerian theatrical release, Mother’s Love has traveled an extensive international festival circuit, with screenings at SVAFF, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the Dubai International Film Festival, and the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF), building sustained diaspora engagement and press momentum across multiple territories. At its inaugural festival appearance in June 2025, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde was awarded a Certificate of Excellence in the category of Debut Filmmaker.
The film will subsequently embark on a global theatrical tour timed for Mother’s Day 2026.
Slum2School Africa is a Nigerian NGO with over 14 years of continuous operation providing education, scholarships, STEM learning through its Green Academy initiative, and community development programs for children in underserved communities across Nigeria. For more information: slum2school.org
Slum2School Africa is a Pan-African nonprofit organization based in Nigeria with over 14 years of continuous work in underserved communities, including Makoko. Its programs focus on expanding access to quality education through scholarships, learning centers, academies, and broader community development initiatives. The organization has built strong partnerships with international institutions and has served over one million learners since its inception.
