Few African storytellers have built a career around the intersection of culture, identity and compelling narratives quite like Femi Odugbemi, Founder and Executive Producer of Zuri24 Media.

A renowned writer, filmmaker, and television producer, Odugbemi has spent decades creating stories that explore culture, identity, history, and contemporary African experiences. His extensive body of work makes him a fitting panellist at the MARKETING EDGE 2026 National Marketing Stakeholders Summit, themed “Cultural Authenticity as Currency: Turning Heritage into Modern Branding and Marketing.”

Odugbemi studied Film and Television Production at Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, graduating in 1984. He is a voting member of both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, popularly known as the Oscars, and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the organisation behind the Emmys. He is among the few African filmmakers to hold membership in both international academies.

His contribution to television in Nigeria is particularly notable. In 2008, Odugbemi served as the founding Content Producer of Tinsel, Nigeria’s first studio multi-camera daily television series. The series has since becomes one of the longest-running television dramas on the continent, with more than 3,500 episodes. He has also produced drama series including Battleground, Brethren, Movement: Japa and Covenant.

His film credits include Maroko, Gidi Blues, 4th Estate, Code Wilo, and The Man Died, further establishing his reputation across feature film and television production.

Beyond fiction, Odugbemi has emerged as a leading voice in Nigerian documentary filmmaking. His acclaimed documentaries include Oui Voodoo, Ibadan: Cradle of Literati, Oriki, Bariga Boy, Fagunwa: Literature, Language and Literalism, Makoko: Futures Afloat, and Unmasked: Leadership, Trust and the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria.

Much of this work reflects his enduring interest in documenting African experiences and preserving stories that might otherwise disappear from collective memory. That commitment aligns closely with the central question of the MARKETING EDGE Summit: how heritage can move beyond preservation to become a source of contemporary relevance, meaning and value for brands.

Odugbemi has also invested significantly in the next generation of African storytellers. He was the pioneer Academy Director of the MultiChoice Talent Factory in West Africa from 2018 to 2022 and continues to facilitate film training and courses at institutions including NYU Abu Dhabi and Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos.

He co-founded the iRepresent International Documentary Film Festival in 2010, a platform dedicated to African stories under the theme “Africa in self-conversation.”

His contributions to the creative industry have earned several recognitions, including the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Nigeria Film Corporation in 2018 and induction into the LAIF Awards Hall of Fame in 2023.

At the MARKETING EDGE 2026 National Marketing Stakeholders’ Summit, Odugbemi brings to the conversation a perspective shaped by decades of turning African experiences into stories that audiences can see, feel, and remember.

Registration is open. Join the conversation.