A new chapter in African screen storytelling is taking shape as the Microdrama Production Team (MPT) unveils AfriVerts, its first slate of original vertical drama series designed specifically for mobile-first audiences around the world.
Convened by Sukuma Media, the South African-based collective has selected five original projects that will now move into development before production as 60-episode vertical series. Each episode will run between one and three minutes, embracing the fast-growing microdrama format that has become one of the most commercially successful forms of digital entertainment globally.
Building African stories for a global audience
The launch of AfriVerts represents more than a new production slate. It reflects an effort to position African creators within an emerging global content economy that has largely been driven by markets in Asia, North America and Europe.
According to Bonginhlanhla “Mr. B” Ncube, the visionary behind the initiative, the project is about ensuring African creatives become active participants in the industry’s next evolution.
“The vision for the African Microdrama Producers (AMP) network and its production unit, the MPT collective, is to foster collaboration amongst African creatives. As Africans, we need to actively participate in this space. This is us saying we won’t just consume content, we will actually create and participate in the value chain,” he says.
A collaborative model for the future
MPT currently consists of 35 professional filmmakers working alongside the broader African Microdrama Producers (AMP) network, which includes more than 500 creatives from across the continent.
Rather than following traditional television production models, the collective has adopted an agile approach built around smaller crews, limited locations and condensed production schedules. Each series is expected to be filmed within five to eight days, allowing creators to produce content efficiently while maintaining strong storytelling standards.
The model also prioritises intellectual property ownership, affordable production costs and skills development, creating opportunities for independent filmmakers to build sustainable careers while retaining ownership of their work.
Industry leaders back the initiative
The inaugural slate is overseen by executive producers Busisiwe Ntintili, Kopedi Aphane and Neiloe Whitehead, each bringing extensive experience across writing, production and filmmaking.
Ntintili, founder of Ntintili Factory and Chairperson of the Writers Guild of South Africa, believes the format creates new opportunities for both creators and the wider industry.
“Micro drama offers real opportunities for creators to tell compelling stories while responding to the changing ways audiences consume content. From a business point of view, it’s also an opportunity for us to reimagine better business models that put creatives at the centre and that protect creative IP,” she says.
Aphane adds that the format offers a powerful platform for African storytelling while opening doors for emerging talent.
Five stories, five perspectives
The inaugural AfriVerts slate showcases a diverse range of stories rooted in African experiences while embracing universal themes.
The selected projects are:
- Things We Don’t Post by Thando Dlamini, following a struggling influencer whose glamorous online persona hides a life on the brink of homelessness.
- I Gave My Boss a Love Potion by Neiloe Whitehead, a romantic comedy centred on a love potion that works a little too well.
- I Married My Dead Husband’s Brother by Thabang Chochoe-Molibeli, exploring tradition, wealth and family obligation.
- Ubuntu Academy of isiZulu by Edward Neo Nkosi, which examines language, migration and identity through a classroom set against the backdrop of rising social tensions.
- My Cousin Maid Stole My Life by Stha Shabangu, a domestic drama about betrayal, family and blurred boundaries.
Positioning Africa in the future of digital storytelling
While AfriVerts begins with five projects, MPT views the initiative as the foundation of a much larger movement.
The collective plans to use each production as an opportunity to refine its production model, mentor emerging creatives and expand the framework into other African countries. As vertical storytelling continues to reshape global entertainment, MPT hopes African creators will not simply follow the trend, but help define its future.
