Creating Pathways for Young Women in Nigeria’s Creative Industry: Insights from the Women Kreatives Connect Summit 2.0

Across Nigeria’s creative industry, many young women continue to navigate limited access to opportunities, networks, and the resources required to build sustainable careers. 

The Women Kreatives Connect Summit 2.0, hosted by Terra Academy for the Arts (TAFTA) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, brought together over 2,000 women to confront and reimagine the realities facing young women in Nigeria’s creative industry.

The convening drew participants from diverse backgrounds and persons with disabilities, reinforcing a strong commitment to inclusion.

For many, the convening created space not only to reflect on shared challenges, but to gain clarity on what is possible when access, support, and opportunity are intentionally designed.

Fatima Usman, a participant, reflected on her experience “I realised that my experience is not isolated. Hearing others speak about similar challenges gave me a different perspective on what is possible.”

Throughout the summit, conversations highlighted both the structural and personal barriers young women face, while also surfacing practical pathways for navigating them.

Participants engaged with industry leaders who shared lived experiences of building careers within the creative economy, offering insights grounded in persistence, adaptation, and continuous learning.

These exchanges contributed to a shift in perspective for many attendees, from uncertainty about career direction to a clearer understanding of how to take the next step within their respective creative fields.

Reinforcing the importance of community and access, a goodwill message from Bolanle Austen-Peters, Founder of TAFTA, emphasized the need to continue building platforms that create visibility and opportunity for women.

“At TAFTA, we believe women have an important role to play in shaping the future of the creative industry,” she said. “Women Kreatives Connect was created to remind women that their stories matter, their voices deserve to be heard, and that even when the odds seem difficult, resilience and collaboration can open new doors.”

The summit also created space for honest reflections on navigating challenges within the industry.

During the Women Versus the Odds panel discussion, featuring Joke Silva, veteran actress and producer, and Osas Ighodaro, actress and media entrepreneur, conversations centered on resilience, consistency, and the importance of community.

Speaking during the session, Joke Silva noted “Every journey in the creative industry comes with challenges. What matters is the willingness to keep learning, stay consistent, and remain true to your purpose. When women support one another, the path becomes clearer and the possibilities become greater.”

Participants were also connected to tangible opportunities to support their transition from learning to earning.

Through TAFTA’s partnership with Ulanzi, content creation tools were distributed to participants, equipping them with the resources to begin building immediately.

Three young women who emerged from the Women Entrepreneurship Development Program (WEDP) pitch competition – Halimah Ayomide Dunmoye, Victory Ajaja, and Uwaechie Maryanne Chidinma – were awarded cash grants of up to ₦1.5M, enabling them to take the next step in growing their businesses.

The unveiling of the Creative Catalysts Report, produced by TAFTA, highlighted the structural challenges facing women in Nigeria’s creative industry, while outlining actionable pathways for expanding access and supporting more inclusive and sustainable growth.

Providing context for the dialogue, Ruemuhwe Ewubare, Program Lead at the Mastercard Foundation, emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration across stakeholders to expand access and enable long-term success for young women in the creative economy.

This was further explored during the dialogue initiated by the Mastercard Foundation to review the Creative Catalyst Report, where Mariam Abbas El-Yakub, Gender Lead at the Mastercard Foundation; Geraldine Chioma and Rukevwe Abiyone, TAFTA Alumni; and Mr. Ola Belgore, CEO of UTICA Capital, examined practical approaches to improving access to opportunities and supporting women to build sustainable livelihoods within the sector.

The summit also recognised the contributions of women who continue to shape and inspire the industry through the Creative Power List Awards, honouring Osas Ighodaro, Joke Silva, Genoveva Umeh, and Taaooma.

As TAFTA continues its work, the outcomes of the Women Kreatives Connect Summit point to a broader opportunity: ensuring that more young women, including those from underserved and underrepresented groups, are equipped with skills and supported to translate them into sustainable careers and livelihoods within the creative industry.