Insights From Women Krestives 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.

For more information about TAFTA programs and initiatives, visit www.terraacademyforarts.com or follow @tafta_academy on social media. 

Terra Academy for the Arts (TAFTA) is a leading creative education institution dedicated to 

nurturing artistic talent and building sustainable creative careers in Nigeria. Through innovative 

programs across various artistic disciplines, TAFTA equips young creatives with both technical 

skills and entrepreneurial capabilities that enable them to thrive in the global creative economy.