Nestor Chikoti Launches Malawi’s First Structured Talent Agency to Transform Film Industry
Malawi’s creative industry is taking a significant step forward with the launch of History Talent Agency, a new professional talent agency focused on discovering, developing and representing emerging acting talent across the country.
The agency was founded by Nestor Chikoti, a well-known creative entrepreneur and filmmaker, and operates under Nestor Chikoti Studios, one of Malawi’s emerging production companies focused on cinematic storytelling and talent development.
History Talent Agency is currently led by Creative Lead Emilia Schneider, a Germany-based creative professional, who oversees its development and operations in collaboration with a Malawi-based team working from its Lilongwe office in Area 47.
The agency was created to address a long-standing gap in Malawi’s film industry, the lack of structured pathways for identifying and developing acting talent and connecting it to professional opportunities.
Rather than relying on informal entry points into the industry, the agency focuses on building structured pathways that support emerging performers and connect them to real production environments.
A key operational partner is Nestor Chikoti Studios, which provides production capacity and creative infrastructure, enabling talent to gain practical experience through film and media projects.
One of the recent productions associated with this ecosystem, Plastic For Change: The Swopshop Story and Senga Bay: Messages in the Sand, highlights a community-driven initiative addressing environmental awareness through storytelling. The project involved emerging actors working in a professional production environment for the first time.
According to Christian Albold, a Swopshop volunteer involved in the production, the experience was well-structured and professionally managed, particularly in how new performers were supported during their first exposure to a film production environment. He noted that the process helped participants gain confidence and a practical understanding of on-set work.
Speaking on the state of the industry, Chikoti noted:
“In Malawi, production companies mainly survive on weddings, commercials and corporate work. Films are often treated as passion projects rather than sustainable businesses. Actors cannot rely on acting as a full-time career, and there is no consistent production pipeline or reliable distribution system.”
He added that the goal of History Talent Agency is to support long-term creative careers while contributing to a more structured and sustainable film ecosystem in Malawi.
The agency is also focused on promoting authentic storytelling by ensuring that Malawian narratives are told by talent rooted in the communities those stories reflect.
Creative Lead Emilia Schneider said she is involved in the agency due to its vision of structured talent development and its focus on building sustainable creative opportunities for emerging actors in Malawi.
As it grows, History Talent Agency is open to strategic partnerships with organisations, creatives and institutions that support talent development and the advancement of Malawi’s film and television industry.
The initiative forms part of a broader vision to strengthen Malawi’s position in the regional and international creative industry through consistent production, talent development and original storytelling.
Nestor Chikoti is widely recognized in Malawi for his creative digital work, particularly short-form visual storytelling inspired by global creators such as Zach King. He has been active in the creative industry since 2016 and is also the founder of Africa Proud, a widely followed Facebook platform in Malawi’s digital design space.
Beyond film, he is also an entrepreneur involved in retail through his footwear business, MyShoes Store, based in Area 47, Lilongwe. His business ventures have supported his creative work and broader development in the film industry.
