37 years after, FG finalises review of national culture policy

The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy  is set to conclude the review of Nigeria’s National Policy on Culture, 37 years after its last review. The policy, which has remained in draft form since 1988, is undergoing a comprehensive update to align with global best practices and reflect the evolving creative economy. […]

The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy  is set to conclude the review of Nigeria’s National Policy on Culture, 37 years after its last review.

The policy, which has remained in draft form since 1988, is undergoing a comprehensive update to align with global best practices and reflect the evolving creative economy.

Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa, who initiated the review, inaugurated a 100-member Cultural Policy Drafting Committee in July 2024. The committee completed a virtual drafting process in December 2024, leading to a physical drafting exercise held in collaboration with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and UNESCO.

Speaking on the development, the minister said the initiative reflected the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to cultural development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

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She added that the finalisation stage would prepare the policy for stakeholder engagement and validation before submission to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.

Representative of the UNESCO, Ifeanyi Ajaegbo, reaffirmed the organisation’s support, saying, “UNESCO strongly supports Nigeria’s effort in updating its National Policy on Culture. This will establish a more structured, participatory and transparent cultural governance system in Nigeria.”

Also, the representative of the NESG, Ikenna Nwosu, described the review as a landmark moment, saying, “For 37 years, this policy remained unchanged despite the rapid transformation of the cultural and creative sectors. The physical drafting exercise, which is scheduled for March 20 to 24, 2025, will mark the final phase of policy consolidation before its submission for approval.