The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) has cemented a transformative partnership with the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), UK, to advance Nigeria’s creative and cultural industries on the global stage. This collaboration aligns with NCAC’s mandate to empower Nigerian creatives, drive economic growth, and position the nation as a hub of cultural excellence.
Empowering Nigeria’s Creative Ecosystem: The partnership focuses on fostering innovation, skills development, and international opportunities for Nigerian artists, cultural practitioners, and creative entrepreneurs.
Key initiatives include:
Strengthening National Centres of Excellence: Providing technical support and curriculum development to enhance Nigeria’s creative education infrastructure.
Creative Talent Exchange: Facilitating cross-border opportunities for Nigerian artists to collaborate, learn, and showcase their work globally.
Capacity Building: Leveraging NCAC’s ICE hub network and the Federal Ministry’s CLAP platform to upskill creatives and cultural leaders.
Global Showcase: Utilizing UCA’s international networks to promote Nigerian arts, design, and culture on prestigious platforms.
Research & Sustainability: Joint projects to enable Nigeria’s creative economy and align it with global standards.
NCAC Joins Global Creative Leadership NetworkIn a landmark move, NCAC has become the first global partner in UCA’s Creative and Cultural Industries Leaders Network, joining industry giants like Apple, Warner Brothers, and the British Film Commission. This membership amplifies Nigeria’s voice in shaping the future of global creative industries and opens doors to unprecedented partnerships.
Mr. Obi Asika, Director-General of NCAC, stated:“This partnership with UCA is a pivotal step in our mission to transform Nigeria’s creative ecosystem. By collaborating with world-class institutions to drive our planned National Centres of Excellence, we are unlocking opportunities for Nigerian talent to thrive locally and internationally. Our focus is on building infrastructure, fostering innovation, and ensuring our creatives compete globally. This alliance will catalyze sustainable growth and position Nigeria as a leader in the global creative economy.”
Prof. Lyndsay Duthie, UCA Pro Vice-Chancellor stated “NCAC’s ambitious plans to elevate Nigeria’s creative sector align seamlessly with UCA’s goals. Together, we hope to deliver groundbreaking initiatives that empower the next generation of Nigerian creative and cultural industry leaders.”
Strategic Alignment with National GoalsThis partnership underscores the Nigerian government’s commitment to leveraging arts, culture, and creativity as engines for job creation, education, and global soft-power influence. It advances President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes the creative industries as a pillar of economic diversification and national development.
NCAC and UCA will immediately begin to work out joint programs, including innovation labs, workshops, and talent showcases, with a focus on inclusivity and youth empowerment.
