EU Ambassadors Explore Kannywood’s Potential to Drive Youth Employment in Northern Nigeria

KANO, Nigeria – A delegation of European diplomats under the banner of Team Europe has visited Kano Film Village to assess the growing role of Kannywood in creating jobs, developing skills, promoting education and driving social change across northern Nigeria.
The delegation was led by the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, and included ambassadors and deputy ambassadors from Denmark, Spain, Italy, France, Czechia, Finland, Belgium and Austria.
The visitors were received by the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board, Alhaji Abba El-Mustapha, and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Ali Nuhu.
During the visit, the diplomats engaged with filmmakers, actors, producers and industry regulators. They also observed the production of Hindatu, a film centred on a young girl determined to pursue her education and become a medical doctor despite pressure from her family to marry early.
Speaking during the tour, Ambassador Mignot emphasized the power of storytelling and the creative arts in shaping attitudes and promoting positive social values.
“Stories have the power to inspire change. Films that promote education, opportunity and inclusion can spark important conversations and encourage positive change within communities,” he said.
He noted that creative industries are not only important for cultural expression but also serve as engines of economic growth and youth empowerment.
“Creative industries are about jobs, skills, entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for young people. Across Nigeria, young people are demonstrating remarkable talent and creativity, and industries such as Kannywood are helping transform that potential into livelihoods and economic opportunity,” Mignot added.
Alhaji Abba El-Mustapha highlighted Kannywood’s contribution to both economic development and the promotion of positive social values. He disclosed that the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board has approved more than 10,000 films over the years while supporting the industry through training programmes, workshops and stakeholder engagement.
“Our role is not only regulatory. We also work with filmmakers to strengthen professional standards, support capacity development and ensure that films contribute positively to society,” he said.
The delegation also toured Kano Film Village, a production facility established by broadcaster and filmmaker Abdullaziz Dansmall. The facility was created to provide filmmakers with a dedicated environment for efficient film production.
According to Dansmall, the project began with revenue generated from the production of Gidang Haya, which was reinvested to gradually expand the facility.
“Our long-term ambition is to transform the site into a fully developed film village capable of supporting larger productions,” he said.
Ali Nuhu, Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, described Kannywood as a major contributor to youth employment in Kano State, citing research that ranked film production as the second-largest employer of young people after agriculture.
He said the industry’s impact extends beyond entertainment by supporting businesses and livelihoods across the creative value chain.
Nuhu also identified challenges facing the sector, particularly in distribution and access to modern production facilities, while noting that filmmakers have increasingly embraced digital platforms as traditional DVD markets continue to decline.
The visit comes as the European Union expands cultural cooperation between Africa and Europe through initiatives such as the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture (AEPC), a €30 million programme designed to support artist mobility, cultural spaces and collaboration between African and European creative professionals.
The EU says the initiative reflects its growing recognition of culture and creative industries as important drivers of economic opportunity, innovation and social development.

Obi: Nigerians Arrested While Transiting Through Ethiopia’s Airport In Search Of Greener Pastures

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, alleges that an overwhelming number of Nigerians were arrested while travelling through Addis Ababa’s international airport in search of greener pastures abroad.

Mr Obi stated this in a statement on Tuesday while hailing the successful completion of a prisoner exchange agreement between Nigeria and Ethiopia.

“A significant number were arrested while transiting through Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport in search of green pastures,” Mr Obi stated.
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“While we commend this humanitarian intervention, it serves as a reminder of a larger systemic crisis. The overwhelming majority of these citizens are young Nigerians. A significant number were arrested while transiting through Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport in search of greener pastures,” the politician stated.

Nigeria and Ethiopia had signed an agreement to facilitate the transfer of prisoners between them, in line with their respective laws and international obligations.

Magnus Eze, special assistant on communication and new media in the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, disclosed this in a statement days ago.

Mr Obi described the agreement as a refreshing humanitarian intervention.

“The news of the conclusion of the prisoners exchange between Nigeria and Ethiopia is refreshing,” the NDC chieftain added. “Every life is precious, and ensuring the constitutional right to human dignity for all Nigerians – regardless of where they are or the circumstances they find themselves in – must remain a cornerstone of our national foreign policy.”

The politician, who commended the efforts of Nigeria’s foreign affairs and justice ministers, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, attorney general Lateef Fagbemi, also lauded their Ethiopian counterparts for finally concluding the protracted negotiations.

The politician, however, condemned the death of at least four Nigerians who lost their lives in custody while the diplomatic and administrative process dragged on over the past few years.

He further decried the harsh circumstances forcing young Nigerians out of the country.

Peter Obi

“While we must continuously urge our citizens to remain law-abiding and respect the laws of host nations wherever they travel or reside, we must also ask ourselves a hard question: What drives our young and productive population into desperate circumstances across the globe?” Mr Obi stated.

The NDC chieftain advocated genuine rehabilitation and societal reintegration for prisoners, stressing the need for a country characterised by genuine economic opportunities, a functional education system, and an environment where hard work is rewarded.
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NPF Arrest Man For Sharing Fake Video Of Bandit Attack In Ekiti

The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested a man, Sunday Olawale, over allegedly spreading fake news of bandits’ attack on Are Ekiti in the Irepodun Ifelodun Local Government area of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday that the suspect, who confessed to the crime, had been unable to give a reason for the false information.
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Abutu stated, “The Police Command wishes to reiterate that there was no bandit invasion in Are Ekiti or any part of the Ekiti State”.

The statement reads in part: “On 14th of June, 2026, the Command Rapid Response Squad trailed and arrested one Sunday Olawale at Ekute area of Ado Ekiti for cyberstalking and giving of false information intended to cause breakdown of law and order.

Video

“During the investigation, the suspect confessed to having peddled the false information on social media and was unable to give any satisfactory reason for his action.

“The State Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, while warning that the Command will not tolerate any act of fake news peddling or content capable of initiating panic among members of the public, advises members of the public to always verify information they believe or share on social media,” the PPRO stated.
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