The Lagos State Government has strengthened its commitment to youth development in the creative industry by equipping over 10,000 young people with professional training in filmmaking, animation, screenwriting, and other related fields.
This development was announced by the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, during a ministerial press briefing held in Alausa, Ikeja, as part of activities marking Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s sixth year in office.
Benson-Awoyinka revealed that the initiative was made possible through collaborative efforts with top-tier creative institutions such as Del-York Creative Academy, EbonyLife Creative Academy, and the African Film Academy.
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These partnerships, she noted, aim to bridge essential skills gaps and position Lagos as a hub of creative excellence.
“Through our targeted interventions, more than 10,000 young individuals have undergone extensive training in critical areas of the creative economy—ranging from cinematography and acting to sound engineering, production management, and digital storytelling,” she said.
The commissioner emphasised that the programme is not solely about imparting skills, but also about building long-term career prospects, fostering entrepreneurship, and enhancing global competitiveness among Lagos-based creatives.
She added that Lagos, already widely regarded as Nigeria’s entertainment nucleus, is rapidly establishing itself as a continental force in content creation, capable of delivering output that rivals international benchmarks.
Benson-Awoyinka further stated that the project aligns with Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus Development Agenda, which underscores innovation and youth empowerment as cornerstones of the state’s economic strategy.
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According to her, many of the programme’s graduates have already begun making their mark within Nigeria and beyond, securing employment, launching startups, and contributing to high-value media and tech ventures.
She affirmed the Ministry’s intention to scale up the initiative, ensuring even broader access to opportunities for young creatives across the state, while laying the foundation for sustainable growth in Lagos’s cultural and creative economy.
