The European Union has launched the Africa–Europe Partnerships for Culture Nigeria Cluster, a €30 million project designed to promote international collaboration for Nigerian artists, cultural organisations, and creative professionals across Sub‑Saharan Africa and Europe. Implemented by the Goethe‑Institut, the initiative aims to advance mutual exchange and co‑creation between the two continents.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, highlighted culture’s central role in sustainable development, social cohesion and inclusive growth. “We see culture as a driver of mutual understanding, creative innovation, and economic opportunity,” he said at the launch in Lagos State. This commitment to culture forms part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which seeks to connect people and create opportunities for shared, sustainable prosperity.
The project is expected to train 250 professionals, support 450 artists and network 48 festivals, thereby deepening West Africa‑EU cultural relations for lasting social and economic benefits. It will also promote cultural cooperation between West African countries—including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde and Nigeria—and the EU, ensuring that creatives across Nigeria can access new opportunities for collaboration, training and global exposure.
The EU has funded other cultural programmes in Africa, such as Strengthening African‑European Museum Partnerships and Creative Africa, which will support collaboration between African and European audiovisual ecosystems. Goethe‑Institut Nigeria Director Nadine Siegert described the launch of the AEPC Nigeria Cluster as a landmark milestone for cultural exchange, collaboration and creative innovation between Africa and Europe. “Nigeria’s creative sector is a force to be reckoned with—diverse, innovative, and increasingly recognised on the global stage,” she said, adding that the institute is committed to supporting and investing in Nigeria’s creative ecosystem through collaboration, capacity building, and increased visibility.
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