Nigerian-British actor Hakeem Kae-Kazim says he wants to use film and television to bring more African history and experiences to global audiences.
Kae-Kazim is currently appearing as Sipho, a powerful Cape Town crime boss, in the second season of Average Joe, a comedy thriller set and filmed in South Africa. The second season premiered in August 2026.
The actor says the role gave him the opportunity to explore a complex character while also showcasing different sides of Cape Town.
“Cape Town is actually a character within it,” he said, describing how the production showed the city’s townships, beaches, wealth and poorer communities.
But beyond acting, Kae-Kazim is developing projects focused on African history and political leaders.
He says he is working on a project about Nigeria’s post-colonial history, featuring figures including Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa and Obafemi Awolowo.
He has also said he is in talks with the family of former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda about a possible biopic.
His long-standing ambition to play Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, also remains. Kae-Kazim has previously been associated with a project exploring Nkrumah and the wider Pan-African movement.
For Kae-Kazim, telling these stories is important in helping younger Africans understand the continent’s history and the ideas that shaped it.
He also wants greater African investment in film and television, arguing that the continent needs stronger production, distribution and streaming systems.
“We will have to be the ones to put the money in to be able to tell our stories in our way,” he said.
Kae-Kazim has also completed his directorial debut, The Blackness, a comedy-drama about two Black graduates in London dealing with unemployment, relationships, family and identity.
The film, his first feature as a director, is now complete and is expected to move into its release and screening phase later this year.
For Kae-Kazim, the projects represent a move beyond acting towards producing and directing stories that place African experiences and voices at the centre.
