UCA and Nigeria’s National Council for Arts and Culture partner with the Nigeria Governors Forum

_{Prof. Lyndsay Duthie attending the Nigeria Governors' Forum alongside other attendees, including Seyi Agboola, UCA Senior Regional Recruitment Manager, Dr Abdullateef Shittu Director General of the NGF, and Obi Asika, Director General, NCAC}

“The creative economy is not tomorrow’s opportunity – it is today’s,” Prof. Duthie said during her courtesy visit to the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja.

Channeling years of expertise from Britain’s thriving media landscape, she spotlighted Nigeria’s untapped potential and challenged policymakers to move with urgency.

Prof. Duthie - a veteran television producer with credits spanning BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Sky - has emerged as a strong voice connecting the United Kingdom’s proven creative industry model with Nigeria’s youthful energy.

_{Left - Right: Prof. Lyndsay Duthie, Dr Abdullateef Shittu Director-General (DG) of the NGF, Obi Asika Director General of NCAC.}

Just days earlier, she delivered a keynote in Enugu, at NCAC’s Creative Economy Summit that bridged two nations: the UK’s success in turning creativity into economic gold and Nigeria’s dynamo of cultural talent poised for global renaissance.

It was a moment to explore how the UK’s resilient creative industries, which added £124.6 billion to the economy in 2022 alone, could inspire Africa’s largest economy to diversify beyond oil and harness its vibrant youth culture for international dominance.

Prof. Duthie underscored the nexus between creativity and economic growth: “Culture plus creativity equals economic power,” she emphasized, pointing to how nations are leveraging “soft power” - the subtle influence of art, film, and music - to reshape perceptions and boost exports.

Corroborating the impact of the creative industry and Nigeria’s potential, Obi Asika, Director General, NCAC, said, “At NCAC we believe in collaboration and have been working closely with the leadership of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum to develop the economic and business case for the Nations cultural and creative industries.

“As we progress we had engaged a strategic alliance with UCA as we see the need to update curriculum, adopt global best practice and enable our own people. In this regard we were delighted to meet with the leadership of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum, which is the policy secretariat for Nigeria’s sub nationals. We have alignment on the range and breath of Nigerian soft power as represented by this sector and its innovation and disruptions across multiple sectors, we are delighted to have brought UCA to the NGF and look forward to progressing our alliance with tangible actions that will impact our people at scale.”

Prof. Duthie’s message found fertile ground at the NGF Secretariat. The Forum, which brings together Nigeria’s 36 state governors, has in recent years moved into conversations that go beyond traditional governance to include sectors with potential for inclusive growth.

Responding, the Director-General (DG) of the NGF, Dr. Abdulateef Shittu, said: “ The visit is both timely and significant as Nigeria positions the creative economy as a central pillar of economic diversification and youth empowerment.”

He explained that the NGF, a non-partisan platform, and a policy hub is increasingly committed to the creative sector because of its promise to deliver jobs, innovation, and social cohesion across Nigeria’s states.

“Our engagements with the NCAC, as well as the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, reflect this commitment,” he continued. “Together, we are exploring avenues to strengthen cultural infrastructure, expand skills development and integrate creative enterprise into state-level economic strategies.”

The DG stressed that Nigeria’s creative talents already project the country’s cultural influence globally. What is missing, he said, is sustained investment and stronger partnerships to scale impact. “With structured investment, capacity-building, and international partnerships, this potential can be transformed into sustainable prosperity,” he argued.

_{Prof. Lyndsay Duthie at Nigeria Governors' Forum with Dr Abdullateef Shittu Director-General (DG) of the NGF}

Highlighting the importance of collaboration with international institutions, Dr. Shittu assured Professor Duthie of the NGF’s readiness to partner with UCA.

“The NGF is ready to collaborate with the University for the Creative Arts through knowledge exchange and talent development. Building institutional partnerships with globally recognised institutions such as yours will significantly accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s creative economy,” he affirmed.

For Dr. Shittu, the visit was more than symbolic; it was a chance to align state-level ambition with global expertise. He welcomed the UCA delegation warmly and expressed optimism that the partnership could lay the groundwork for lasting impact.

“We welcome you once again and look forward to building lasting partnerships that empower our youth, strengthen our cultural industries, and deepen the creative ties between Nigeria and the United Kingdom,” he said.

Between Prof. Duthie’s rallying call for urgency and Dr. Shittu’s pledge of institutional commitment, the contours of Nigeria’s creative future were clearly drawn: if nurtured with the right partnerships, the sector could become the next economic powerhouse.