The Terra Academy for the Arts (TAFTA), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has successfully concluded its three-day Women Entrepreneurs Development Program (WEDP) Bootcamp, a groundbreaking initiative designed to empower female creatives to build sustainable and scalable businesses in Nigeria’s creative economy.
Held from October 27 to 29, 2025, the hybrid bootcamp brought together young female TAFTA alumni, aged 18 to 35, for a series of intensive learning sessions that combined virtual training on entrepreneurship with an in-person showcase and pitch event at Terra Kulture, Lagos. Participants received hands-on guidance in areas such as business formalization, financial literacy, digital marketing, intellectual property, and investor readiness.
Speaking on the impact of the program, Bolanle Austen-Peters, Founder of TAFTA, said the initiative reaffirms TAFTA’s mission to transform creative potential into viable enterprises. “At TAFTA, we believe talent without opportunity is potential unfulfilled. This bootcamp ensures that women in the creative industry are not just artists but business leaders capable of transforming their communities,” she stated.
Expert facilitators including David Agboto, Chinedu Isagbah, Faith Desmond, Adefunke Smith, Favour Ofem, and Uloma Nkemakolam led sessions on entrepreneurship fundamentals, while the final day featured a live pitch event judged by mentors and investors. The showcase allowed participants to present their ventures, secure feedback, and explore collaboration opportunities within the creative ecosystem.
Joseph Umoibom, Academy Lead at TAFTA, described the program as a major step toward increasing women’s participation in Nigeria’s creative economy. “Through WEDP, we’re not just teaching business skills; we’re building an ecosystem that gives women access to funding, mentorship, and leadership opportunities in the creative space,” he said.
Participants left the program with actionable business plans, digital growth strategies, and access to continued mentorship and funding opportunities. The bootcamp aligns with TAFTA’s mission to democratize arts education and support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by fostering gender inclusion and economic empowerment.
With the success of the 2025 edition, TAFTA’s Women Entrepreneurs Development Program stands as a model for how creative education and enterprise development can intersect to build a more inclusive and sustainable future for women in Nigeria’s creative sector.
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.
