Lagos, July 17, 2025 — The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, on Wednesday received key figures in Nigeria’s creative and film industry at her Alausa office to explore new partnerships aimed at positioning Lagos as Africa’s premier hub for tourism and creative excellence.
The high-level delegation included celebrated designer and filmmaker Ugo Mezie; Chief Executive and Content Officer of Farabove International Services, Ijeoma Onah; Tourism and Creative Business Manager at Sterling Bank, Abiola Adelana; Founder of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), Chioma Ude; and Mr. Moses Babatope, CEO of UK-based film distribution company, Talking Drum Entertainment.
During the courtesy visit, discussions centered around leveraging Lagos State’s cultural diversity, existing infrastructure, and government support to scale up investment in tourism and film production, while creating sustainable jobs and global visibility for local talents.
Mrs. Benson-Awoyinka assured the stakeholders of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration’s unwavering commitment to fostering a thriving creative economy. She noted that Lagos remains open to partnerships that would amplify the city’s growing reputation as the cultural capital of Africa.
“This engagement is part of our ongoing mission to create a viable ecosystem where tourism, film, and culture are not only celebrated but serve as key drivers of economic growth,” the Commissioner said.
The meeting ended with a mutual agreement to set up a technical working group that would outline action plans for strategic collaboration in the months ahead.
