Lagos empowers 1,000 Creatives to drive billion-naira Creative Economy

Lagos State Government has empowered more than 1,000 creatives through its Skill Up Lagos initiative as part of efforts to strengthen the creative economy, create sustainable jobs and position the state as Africa’s cultural and entertainment hub.

Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe, disclosed this during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing held in Alausa, saying the initiative was designed to equip emerging creatives with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive in the industry.

Aregbe explained that over the past 24 months, the state had empowered more than 1,000 artists, designers, performers and cultural entrepreneurs through the Skill Up Lagos programme under the Lagos Cultural Mission framework.

According to him, the initiative provides a structured platform for young creatives to acquire relevant skills, gain exposure and build sustainable livelihoods from their talents.

“This is governance with a human face, investing directly in the people who give Lagos its soul,” Aregbe said.

The Special Adviser noted that the Lagos Cultural Mission serves as the umbrella platform driving the state’s cultural diplomacy, creative economy initiatives and arts development programmes.

He said the mission had continued to promote Lagos as Africa’s cultural capital through strategic partnerships, art tourism, cultural festivals and diplomatic engagements.

Aregbe also highlighted the impact of the Cook Lagos, Eat Lagos initiative, describing it as a major cultural and tourism project redefining how Lagos cuisine is experienced globally.

According to him, the programme has created economic opportunities for food vendors, chefs, agro-entrepreneurs and hospitality operators while promoting local culinary heritage.

“This initiative places Lagos cuisine on the global tourism map, celebrating local culinary traditions while creating economic opportunities for food vendors, chefs, agro-entrepreneurs and hospitality businesses,” he said.

He explained that the programme was structured around three pillars — Cook Lagos, Eat Lagos and Grow Lagos — aimed at promoting culinary education, food tourism and agricultural enterprise simultaneously.

Aregbe further disclosed that the 2025 Kayo-Kayo Festival in Epe attracted over 1,000 participants, celebrating the community’s cultural heritage, religious identity and communal unity.

“The festival stands as one of Lagos’s most authentic cultural expressions, a symbol of resilience and harmony that has endured across generations,” he stated.

According to him, the government also leveraged the festival to boost local commerce by mobilising tourism influencers and travel enthusiasts to spotlight the historic Oja Chief fish market.

“In a remarkable community-centred intervention, the office coordinated free fish delivery to the doorsteps of customers, directly boosting the commercial earnings of the women traders at the market,” Aregbe added.

The Special Adviser also highlighted the success of the Beauty in Motherland initiative, which brought together over 500 beauty vendors and professionals in a major business-to-business engagement aimed at promoting Africa’s beauty industry globally.

He said the government supported reality star and entrepreneur Natacha Akide during her Guinness World Record attempt, where she completed 82 makeovers in eight hours and 143 makeovers within 24 hours.

“This was Lagos at its most boundary-breaking,” he said.

Aregbe added that the government also backed the Adekunle Gold Fuji Album launch, describing it as a cultural moment that bridged contemporary Afrobeats with the classical roots of Fuji music.

He further disclosed that in March 2026, the state honoured 19 women for their contributions to Lagos’ arts and cultural landscape.

“Each recipient received a formal commendation letter acknowledging their trailblazing contributions to the creative space. This gesture was not ceremonial; it was a deliberate act of governance that uplifts the women who form the backbone of Lagos’s cultural identity,” he said.

Aregbe stressed that the Sanwo-Olu administration remained committed to using culture, tourism and the creative industry as tools for economic growth, youth empowerment and global cultural influence.