The Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy has teamed up with Ananse Internet Group to establish a network of design and innovation hubs across the country.
The five-year partnership, sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), will kick-start the Ananse Centre for Design, with the first hub due to launch in Lagos this year.
The initiative, the ministry said, aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and aims to drive economic diversification, create jobs and empower young people through fashion, leather and digital storytelling.
The Minister, Hannatu Musawa, described the collaboration as a key step in bridging creativity, technology and entrepreneurship for national development.
Under the agreement, the ministry will provide policy guidance, funding and infrastructure, while Ananse will bring its technical expertise, digital platforms and internationally certified training modules to operate the centres.
The first hub in Lagos will serve as a prototype for similar centres across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
The programme aims to support over 5,000 people in fashion design, leatherwork, business development and digital commerce — with a particular focus on women and youth-led enterprises.
Beneficiaries will be connected to Ananse’s cross-border e-commerce platform, allowing their products to reach international markets.
The ministry and Ananse will also collaborate on research and data collection to aid policy decisions and foster growth and regulation in the creative industries.
A joint committee will oversee implementation and track key indicators — including the number of people trained, start-ups launched, jobs created and local and international collaborations formed.
With this partnership, officials say Nigeria is strengthening its position as a continental hub for creative excellence and digital innovation.
