By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Aisha Adamu Augie, Director General of National Black And Africa Culture (NBAAC) has disclosed that Nigeria would host the Festival of Art and Culture (FESTAC) in 2027.
Augie, who made the disclosure during an Interactive session with the Senate committee on Culture and Creative Economy, listed the importance of culture to include display of the nation’s rich heritage to economic empowerment.
She said lack of funding, especially the last year’s budget, truly affected the performance of the agency under review.
Responding to questions after the interactive session with the committee members, the DG said that the agency has appealed to the committee for a 2025 budget increase, saying the Agency was poorly funded in 2024 and hoped that the narratives would change in 2025.
She explained that Nigeria is the only African Nation that was able to organize a successful FESTAC, which brought about rapid infrastructural development in the country.
She further noted that plans are on top gear by the Bola Tinubu led administration to host again the FESTAC in 2027 noting that, the creative industry is rapidly growing in the country, following an increased awareness about the locally manufactured materials being used.
Earlier, the Senate committee chairman on Culture and Creative Economy Senator Mohammed Onowo Ogoshi PDP Nasarawa State, apologized to the DG and her entourage for late arrival at the venue for the Interactive session.
