Mosunmola Abudu, ‘Mo Abudu,’ is the CEO of the EbonyLife Group, one of Africa’s leading media conglomerates. The group comprises EbonyLife Media, creators of original African content, EbonyLife Place, a luxury entertainment resort; and the EbonyLife Creative Academy, a film school in Lagos designed to accelerate filmmaking skills.
Mo began her career in HR, later owning her recruitment firm and developing the Protea Hotel, Oakwood Park—Nigeria’s first new-build hotel of its type. She then launched her media career with Inspire Africa, an edutainment company designed to inspire, educate, motivate, and entertain. The company’s anchor project was Africa’s first syndicated talk show, Moments with Mo, presented and produced by Mo.
In 2013, Mo launched EbonyLife TV, a pan-African entertainment channel on the DStv network, driven by a belief to uplift Africa’s image in the media. The channel produced a string of aspirational series and was featured as a Harvard Business School case study in 2021. The EbonyLife brand grew to include EbonyLife Films and EbonyLife Studios with eight blockbusters under their belt.
Mo Abudu received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Babcock University in 2014 and one in 2018 for her contributions to the broadcasting industry in Nigeria from the University of Westminster in London.
Abudu is highly sought after for her knowledge of the African and global creative industry. She has been invited to join the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences in the Producer membership category, making her the first Sub-Saharan African woman to join the Oscars. Forbes Magazine described her as ‘Africa’s Most Successful Woman,’ and in 2021 and 2023, named Abudu as one of the ‘World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.’. 2021 was rounded off with Abudu also being counted amongst the Variety500 2021, the benchmark of influencers shaping the global entertainment industry.
Mo has signed deals with partners including Sony, Netflix, AMC, Will and Jada Smith’s Westbrook Studios, Will Packer Productions, Starz, and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, along with Lionsgate TV, as well as the BBC, to bring original and progressive African stories to the global stage.
