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EcobankPay partners TerraKulture to promote African Culture

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BY: Sandra Ani

EcobankPay, the lifestyle digital payment and collections service of Ecobank Nigeria has entered into a partnership with TerraKulture, Nigeria’s foremost stage play and cultural show promoters with Bolanle-Austen Peters as lead.

Through this partnership, Ecobank intends to support the promotion of African arts and culture starting from April 2019.

For each festive season, there will be a theatrical production – April coinciding with the Easter celebrations; October season to correspond with the nation’s independence anniversary and December season end of year festivities. 

Commenting on the partnership, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Patrick Akinwuntan said it is one of the several initiatives by the pan African Bank to boost culture, history and the entertainment industry in Nigeria. He noted that the partnership would create jobs, further re-ignite and engender interest in watching stage plays and derive learning points from history and rich culture that will be showcased through the shows.

According to him, “as the Pan-African bank, Ecobank is pleased to partner with a renowned African culture promoter – TerraKulture to achieve our collective vision of promoting indigenous African plays to reinforce knowledge of and also celebrate our history, culture and values. As we continue to leverage Ecobankpay and Ecobank Xpresspoint Agency to bring convenient and easy banking to every household, creating jobs and facilitating trade, we are also proud to be at the forefront of the renaissance of African culture and history. The Queen Moremi musical stage play planned for the Easter season will increase knowledge of our culture and history thereby deepening our sense of pride as a people. This is the in line with the vision of our founders and endearing to our customers and stakeholders.

Also commenting, CEO, TerraKulture, Bolanle-Austen Peters said we are passionate about creating partnerships and advancing the Nigerian and African narrative ourselves. There is no stronger brand than Ecobank to project that Pan African image that we all so clearly want to identify with. This is a step in the right direction and we hope through this Ecobank will  add more jobs and also improve the quality of life of Nigerians”.

This Easter, the TerraKulture show will bring to life the story of Queen Moremi, the 12th-century tale of a brave woman leading the charge to save her people in Ile-Ife. Put together by TerraKulture and Rejuvenee, ‘Queen Moremi: The Musical’ is a stage play that celebrates the legacy of the feminine hero. The stage play has a strong cast of Bimbo Manuel, Femi Branch, Deyemi Okanlawon, Lala Akindoju and others. Moremi resonates with the feminist charge to take lead in a male-dominated society.  It  is a story that has enough legs that makes it relevant for all generations. The legend of Queen Moremi is a blast from the past that reminds us of who we really are.

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Culture

Okhma hosts high-level investment pitch for 70 brands ahead of Carnival Calabar 2025

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Okhma

As preparations intensify for the 2025 edition of Carnival Calabar, Africa’s biggest street party and one of the top five carnivals globally, Okhma Global, the official marketing and brand management agency appointed by the Cross-River State Government, convened a high-impact investment workshop for leading corporate organizations.

The event, held at the prestigious Lagos Oriental Hotel, brought together representatives from over 70 top-tier brands spanning banking, FMCG, telecommunications, oil and gas, aviation, hospitality, and entertainment sectors, all seeking strategic partnership and brand visibility opportunities within the globally celebrated festival.

Speaking during the session, Mary Ephraim-Egbas, Managing Director of Okhma, delivered a data-backed, sector-specific pitch showcasing how brands can leverage Carnival Calabar’s expansive footprint, projected to attract nearly two million physical attendees and reach over 200 million viewers across Africa and the diaspora through extensive media coverage and digital streaming.

“It has been a deeply rewarding engagement,” Ephraim-Egbas stated. “Over the years, we’ve received numerous inquiries from organizations seeking to understand how best to participate in and benefit from Carnival Calabar. This session provided the platform to not only answer those questions but also correct misconceptions about the carnival’s strategic value to brands.”

She emphasized that the 20th edition of Carnival Calabar, set to run throughout December 2025, will be a milestone celebration. Under the leadership of Governor Prince Bassey Edet Otu, the carnival has undergone a major revitalization, receiving unprecedented executive support to restore its stature as a premier destination for culture, tourism, and brand engagement.

“Governor Otu’s commitment has repositioned the carnival for growth, innovation, and renewed global interest,” she added. “The level of interest we’ve seen at this workshop from both legacy and first-time brands is proof that the market recognizes this renewed potential.”

The interactive session concluded with brand executives expressing their excitement about the carnival’s evolution and sharing expectations around programming, innovation, and activation opportunities. Many participants also filled out formal expressions of interest, signaling their readiness to engage further with Okhma and the Cross River State Government on customized brand activations for December.

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Charles Emembolu Named Chair of Nigeria’s Creative Tech Council (CCTF)

By Sandra Ani

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Engr. Charles Emembolu, chairman of CCTF
Engr. Charles Emembolu, chairman of CCTF

The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) of the Federal Ministry for Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy (FMACTCE) has appointed Engr. Charles Uchenna Emembolu to chair the Council for Creative Technology Futures (CCTF), a pioneering body set to drive innovation in Nigeria’s cultural and creative industries through advanced technologies and platform including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Web3.0, and blockchain.

The CCTF’s mandate is to position Nigeria as a global leader in creative innovation by developing a National Creative-Tech Framework and Roadmap, shaping policy reforms in intellectual property protection, taxation, and technology adoption, and spearheading flagship initiatives such as the Creative Futures Fund, ICE Hubs, and Discover Naija. These will expand job creation, skills development, and global market access for Nigerian creatives across 49 industry sectors.

Engr. Emembolu is a technology entrepreneur, innovation policy advocate, and current Chairman of the Innovation Support Network (ISN) Nigeria, representing over 220 incubators, accelerators, and innovation hubs nationwide. He is also Co-Convenor of the Omniverse Africa Summit, which unites technology and creative sector leaders from across the continent.

At the heart of the Council’s direction and coordination is Mr. Obi Asika, the dynamic Director-General of NCAC, whose track record, leadership and deep industry expertise will anchor the CCTF’s vision, ensure high-level stakeholder engagement, and drive alignment across Nigeria’s diverse creative and technology ecosystems. The ministry of FMACTCE is led by Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa.

Our creative economy is a catalyst for technology-driven prosperity. The present is digital, global, and transformative. Through CCTF, we will channel that momentum into capital, ownership, and innovation, enabling more homegrown platforms that consolidate our creatives’ global leadership as owners of their value ecosystems,” said Emembolu.

The NCAC will serve as the Secretariat for the CCTF, whose inaugural council members are:

  • Charles Emembolu — TechQuest, IT Expert & Talent Development (Chair) 
  • Misan Harriman — Director/Photographer 
  • Dayo Elegbe — Sponge Group (Digital Marketing) 
  • Bizzle Oshikoya — The Plug (Music & Talent Management) 
  • Kemi Awodein — MD, Chapel Hill Denham (Investments & Advisory)
  • Osas Peter — Founder, BlackAt 
  • Malik Afegbua — AI Storytelling & Creative Visual Futurism 
  • Sandra Oyewole — Olajide Oyewole & Co. (IP Lawyer)
  • Judith Okonkwo — Imisi 3D; AR & Deep Tech Leader 
  • Dr. Dahiru Sani — Founder, Kaduna Business School 
  • Dr Chinedu Odoala – NCAC (CCTF Secretariat)

The CCTF will seek to deliver actionable frameworks, after which implementation will scale nationally and internationally.

Source: Techeconomy

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Culture

African Union Declares 2025 the ‘Year of Reparations and African Heritage’ and Launches Decade-Long Action Plan

By Celestine Achi

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African Union Declares 2025

The African Union has officially designated 2025 as the “Year of Reparations and African Heritage,” launching a coordinated decade-long initiative (2026–2036) to address the lasting impacts of slavery, colonialism, and systemic global inequalities.

Africa’s call for reparations from former colonial powers has moved from activist and academic discourse to the forefront of continental and international policy. The African Union (AU) has formally designated 2025 as the “Year of Reparations and African Heritage,” marking the beginning of a coordinated, decade-long campaign to address historical injustices stemming from slavery, colonialism, and systemic inequities in global governance.

The AU’s mandate, endorsed at the highest level, calls on all member states and AU organs to take concrete actions in pursuit of reparations. This includes redress for the transatlantic slave trade and its enduring legacy, colonial exploitation, arbitrary borders, the destruction of institutions, as well as contemporary neocolonial structures, economic imbalances, and debt burdens.

In a historic decision at the 7th AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in July, leaders agreed to extend the program beyond 2025 into a Decade of Action on Reparations and African Heritage (2026–2036). This move signals a sustained, strategic approach to securing justice and restitution for Africa’s people.

“This, undoubtedly, gives us as a Union the opportunity to sustain the momentum for the realization of this noble cause and also to develop well-thought-through strategies to mobilize adequate resources to support the domestication of the subject,” said Ghana’s President, speaking on behalf of the collective African leadership.

The push for reparations has also begun to influence policy debates in Europe. In a recent formal inquiry to the European Commission, European Parliament member Barbara Bonte questioned the effectiveness of Brussels’ Africa policy and asked whether the EU has critically assessed its approach in light of Africa’s growing demands for equitable engagement.

The AU’s initiative reflects a continental consensus that historical injustices remain unresolved and continue to shape Africa’s economic, cultural, and political realities. By prioritizing “Reparations” in the official designation, the AU underscores the issue as a matter of justice rather than symbolic reconciliation.

The coming decade will see coordinated campaigns, diplomatic engagement, and legal strategies aimed at compelling former colonial powers to acknowledge, apologize, and compensate for the lasting impact of historical wrongs. For Europe and other actors, this moment represents both a challenge and an opportunity to redefine relations with Africa on a foundation of fairness, dignity, and mutual respect.

The AU’s message is clear: Africa’s demand for reparations will remain at the center of its international agenda for the next decade. The global response to this call will shape not only the future of EU-Africa relations but also the broader quest for justice in the international order.

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