Crunch Times News

By Blessing Bature 

The Confederation of African Fashion (CAFA) is set to unveil an ambitious roadmap aimed at growing Africa’s fashion economy from an estimated $30 billion to $500 billion, as part of efforts to position the continent as a major player in the global fashion industry.

In a statement issued to newsmen by Nneka Ikem Anibeze Ph.D SA Media the Art and culture minister said the roadmap will be presented at the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND) 2026 in Lagos, where CAFA will mark its first anniversary on November 5 with the unveiling of a joint stand with the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.

The event will take place at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, formerly known as the National Arts Theatre, from November 5 to 8.

CAFA President, Aare (Prof.) Lai Labode, said the organisation was working with African governments to harmonise policies on sourcing, production, trade and intellectual property to ensure that the continent derives greater economic value from its creative resources.

He explained that the initiative seeks to move African fashion beyond creativity and informal production towards a structured industry capable of generating wealth, creating employment and strengthening intra-African trade.

Nigeria became the first country to sign the African Fashion Industry Growth Charter on November 5, 2025, when the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, signed the document on behalf of the Federal Government.

Speaking ahead of the unveiling, the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa said the Afroliganza initiative was designed to establish a structured and values-driven fashion economy anchored on African heritage and institutions, with the capacity to compete globally.

She stressed that increased investment in the sector could create millions of jobs, particularly for women and young people.

Registered in Rwanda, with its headquarters in Kigali and a desk at the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy in Nigeria, CAFA is also collaborating with Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to secure African Union adoption of the Charter.

Rwanda is equally making progress towards becoming the second participating country and the first in East Africa.

Highlighting its achievements in the first year, the organisation said 50 nations participated in the Egbaliganza-Lisabi Festival in Abeokuta, while it also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Türkiye's ASRIAD.

As part of its strategy, CAFA is promoting the local processing of African raw materials into finished garments and apparel to strengthen domestic manufacturing and retain more economic value within the continent.

Its programmes include the 'Own What We Create' initiative, which focuses on intellectual property protection, while the CAFA Certified Seal and CAFA Heritage Mark are designed to promote quality standards, authenticity and recognition of African fashion products.

The organisation is also establishing African Global Fashion Houses across international markets to expand the visibility and commercial reach of African designers and fashion brands.

Another major initiative is the African Global Fashion Games, scheduled to debut in Nigeria in 2028. The biennial-style event, which will hold every three years, will bring designers together under their respective national colours, alternating between African and international host countries.

Beyond fashion competitions, the Games will provide platforms for investment meetings, business deals and policy discussions.

One of its proposed attractions, the Instant Craft event, will require competing countries to work with identical materials within a fixed period, placing emphasis on creativity, technical skills and craftsmanship.

CAFA has invited fashion designers, artisans, creatives, diplomats, economists, investors and policymakers to visit its stand during CANEX WKND 2026 to explore the roadmap and identify opportunities for collaboration in design, manufacturing, investment, research, trade and international partnerships.

By Blessing Bature 

Liberty Chapel Seventh-day Adventist Women’s Ministry has celebrated two years of impact, empowerment and remarkable achievements, reaffirming its commitment to spiritual growth, women's development and service to humanity.

The celebration, held under the theme, “Ebenezer: Thus Far the Lord Has Helped Us,” brought together women from the church and its various branches and outreaches to reflect on the ministry's journey, celebrate its accomplishments and renew their commitment to strengthening families, empowering women and contributing to community development.

Among the participating outreaches were Transforming Grace, Living Spring, Triumphant Assembly, and Abundant Grace, Lugbe, among others.

Speaking at the event, the Women’s Ministry Leader, Sister Lydia Anenge, described the celebration as an opportunity to appreciate God for His faithfulness and reflect on the progress made under the ministry’s two-year leadership.

She said the ministry had recorded significant achievements, including the introduction of a uniform for Adventist women, as well as initiatives aimed at encouraging women to become economically independent and contribute meaningfully to their families and society.

According to her, the ministry has consistently encouraged women not to remain dependent or sit back waiting for their husbands to provide everything, but to discover their potential, develop entrepreneurial skills and engage in productive ventures.

Anenge said the past two years had been remarkable, adding that the ministry had achieved several milestones through commitment, unity and the support of the church.

She expressed gratitude to God and everyone who contributed to the successes recorded, describing the journey as an awesome and fulfilling experience.

Also speaking, Sister Rita Chimereze applauded the leadership of Liberty Chapel Seventh-day Adventist Church for creating an enabling environment for women to serve, grow and contribute to the development of the church.

She expressed appreciation for the opportunity given to the outgoing leadership to serve, noting that the experience had been rewarding and impactful.

Chimereze encouraged women to remain active, proactive and committed to personal development, stressing the importance of engaging in businesses and other productive activities to improve their economic well-being.

She urged women not to limit themselves but to identify opportunities, develop their capacities and support their spouses in building financially stable homes.

She also expressed hope that the next leadership of the Women’s Ministry would build on the achievements recorded and accomplish even greater things.

In his remarks, the Pastor of Liberty Chapel Seventh-day Adventist Church, Pastor Kayode Arigbede, reaffirmed the church’s commitment to empowering women by providing platforms for them to explore their abilities, develop their potential and achieve meaningful progress.

He noted that women were capable of achieving great things when given the necessary encouragement and opportunities, adding that the church had continued to recognise the importance of creating such platforms.

According to him, programmes such as the Women’s Day celebration provide opportunities for women to connect, encourage one another, share experiences and discover new ways of contributing to the growth of the church and society.

Arigbede commended the Women’s Ministry for its commitment and outstanding contributions over the past two years, describing its achievements as worthy of appreciation.

He urged the women not to relent in their efforts but to remain committed to the good works they had started, while encouraging them to make productive use of every opportunity available to them.

The pastor further described the theme, “Ebenezer: Thus Far, the Lord Has Helped Us,” as appropriate, noting that the achievements and milestones recorded by the ministry were reasons to appreciate God's faithfulness.

The celebration featured a gathering of women from the church’s various outreaches, reflecting unity, fellowship and a shared commitment to the growth and empowerment of women.

The event also provided an opportunity to appreciate the outgoing leadership, celebrate progress and inspire women to embrace greater responsibilities in their families, the church and society, he said.

By Blessing Bature 

The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), triggering an emergency public health response, including contact tracing, surveillance and strengthened infection prevention measures.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the development on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory confirmation of the case.

According to the minister, the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda. She was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed.

Pate said the patient had been placed in isolation and was receiving medical care.

He disclosed that contact tracing had commenced, with 44 close contacts identified so far. Public health teams are working to identify and monitor individuals who may have been exposed to the infection, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Services Secretariat and other relevant authorities are collaborating to contain the infection and prevent further transmission.

The minister said surveillance had been intensified, while the affected hospital was receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.

He called on public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain on high alert, urging health workers to maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention protocols and immediately report suspected infections to public health authorities.

Explaining the risk of transmission, Pate said Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died from the disease, as well as contact with contaminated materials.

He stressed that a person infected with Ebola cannot transmit the disease before symptoms begin.

The minister urged Nigerians to remain calm but vigilant, practise regular hand hygiene and avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected of having the disease.

He listed symptoms to watch for as fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly among people who may have been exposed to the infection.

Pate advised anyone who suspects possible exposure to report immediately to public health authorities, even if they feel well. Those who develop symptoms should avoid close contact with others and contact health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.

He also urged people contacted during the tracing exercise, including relevant airline passengers, to provide the necessary information and comply with public health instructions.

The minister cautioned against spreading rumours or stigmatising affected individuals, emphasising the need for Nigerians to rely on verified information from official health authorities.

Reassuring the public, Pate recalled that Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014, noting that the country had experience and public health systems to respond to the current case.

However, he stressed that preventing further spread would require collective action, early detection, prompt reporting and cooperation with health officials.

The Federal Government, FCT authorities and their partners, he said, were working together to protect healthcare workers, patients and the wider public, while investigations into the case continued.

The government, through the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease and the NCDC, pledged to provide further updates as more information becomes available.

Members of the public can contact the NCDC's toll-free call centre on 6232, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for information or to report a suspected case.

By Blessing Otobong-Gabriel 

The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy has unveiled the D30 Platform as a single-window intelligence hub for Nigeria's creative and tourism economy, developed in partnership with Cavista Holdings.

Nneka Ikem Anibeze, SA Media & Publicity to the Minister, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy in a statement said following the launch, investors, businesses and state governments will be able to locate creative clusters, tourism assets, infrastructure gaps and viable opportunities from a single source.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa, thanked Cavista Holdings for its partnership in delivering the technology. She said the platform addresses a long-standing constraint in the sector, the absence of reliable, comprehensive data to measure the true scale of opportunities.

According to the Minister, an investor considering a film production facility should be able to see where creative clusters are located and what supporting infrastructure exists.

"D30 is not intended to be another government database that simply accumulates information. Its purpose is to support decisions that help businesses expand, guide investors and enable government to deploy resources more effectively," she said.

"A state seeking to develop a tourism destination should understand its connectivity and investment needs. A creative entrepreneur should have market intelligence to expand beyond familiar markets."

In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Abdulkarim Ozi Ibrahim, described the unveiling as an important milestone in the Ministry's efforts to unlock the immense economic potential of Nigeria's art, culture, tourism and creative industries.

"For government, it represents an opportunity to strengthen evidence-based planning and policymaking. For investors, it provides greater visibility into emerging opportunities, industry clusters and areas requiring investment. For businesses and entrepreneurs, it offers information that can support expansion, competitiveness and better commercial decisions," he said.

In his remarks, Executive Director and Vice President, Government and External Affairs at Cavista Holdings, Olumide Olayomi, reaffirmed the company's commitment to strengthening Nigeria's tourism and creative economy through credible data and evidence-based planning.

He said D30 will enable government and private sector players to spot viable investment opportunities, close infrastructure gaps and drive growth across the value chain.

"Nigeria's rich cultural heritage, diverse tourism destinations and vibrant creative community offer enormous potential for jobs and wealth creation, but the sector cannot scale without reliable intelligence to track opportunities, assess needs and measure progress," Olayomi said.

He added that Cavista fully aligns with the Ministry's target of generating $100 billion and creating 3 million jobs by 2030, stressing that sustained public-private collaboration is critical to achieving it.

The Statistician-General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, represented by his Technical Assistant, Moses Waniko, pledged the Bureau's collaboration with the Ministry to strengthen data collection, harmonise methodologies and ensure compliance with national and international statistical standards.

He stated that the success of the platform will depend on the quality, consistency, reliability and comparability of its data, reaffirming NBS's commitment to producing reliable official statistics to support government, private-sector operators, development partners and researchers.

Special Adviser to the President on Partnerships and Innovation, Imran Garba Duba, thanked all contributors to the successful launch of D30, particularly the Cavista team for their selfless service to the country.

He described the launch as just the beginning, saying:

“D30 will open doors for Nigeria in ways we cannot fathom. Nigeria has so much to show and so much data and we need to work together."

The D30 Platform is a national data and investment intelligence platform developed by the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy with technology partner Cavista Technologies.

The Ministry is targeting 3 million jobs and $100 billion GDP contribution from the creative and tourism economy by 2030 under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. D30 will provide the intelligence foundation to achieve that.

By Blessing Otobong-Gabriel 

The Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy mourns the passing of Nigeria's legendary actor and cultural icon, Sir Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, MFR, who died on Wednesday, 16th September 2026, at the age of 84.

 Nneka Ikem Anibeze, Ph.D SA Media & Publicity to the Minister, Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy in a statement said reacting to the sad news, the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., described his death as a monumental loss to the nation and the entire creative industry.

 “Olu Jacobs was not just an actor, he was a national institution. He was one of the most important pillars of Nigeria's entertainment industry and one of Africa's greatest actors. For over five decades, his voice, his presence and his craft gave life to our stories and gave dignity to our industry”.

“Through the Lufodo Academy which has trained hundreds of actors, directors and filmmakers who are now leading Nollywood, and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will continue to live on stage, on screen and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Nigeria has lost a Lion, but his light will never fade.”, Musawa stated.

On behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the entire creative community, the Ministry also extends heartfelt condolences to Dame Joke Silva, his children, and other family members.

The Federal Government has officially unveiled MyCityApp, a Nigerian city discovery and tourism platform that aggregates festivals, concerts, and lifestyle experiences into one digital calendar.

Nneka Ikem Anibeze, Ph.D, SA Media & Publicity to the Minister, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy (FMACCE/PS) in a statement said MyCityApp, which flags off the 100-Day Tourism Calendar aimed at unlocking Nigeria's $100 billion tourism economy, was launched on Monday during the Ember2Remember National Stakeholders' Conference held in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The conference aims to rally public and private stakeholders to convert the September to December festive season into jobs and economic growth. It is expected to unlock Nigeria’s $100 billion tourism and creative economy opportunity.

At the unveiling ceremony, the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., noted that millions of visitors troop into the country every year to celebrate, reconnect, and spend time across cities and communities. She said the festive period could be converted into jobs and investment to make tourism a stronger contributor to the national economy.

“This initiative is about moving beyond the traditional concept of a festive season. It is about deliberately organising, packaging, promoting, and monetising one of the most economically active periods in our national calendar.

“Every visitor creates a value chain — from aviation and transportation to hotels, restaurants, entertainment, retail, technology, artisans, and local communities. Within these value chains are opportunities for businesses, jobs, investment, and livelihoods,” Musawa said.

The Minister thanked the Chief Executive Officer of MyCityApp, Mrs. Ifeoma Chukwu, whose vision, doggedness, and commitment were instrumental in driving the initiative.

She also called on state governments, event organisers, tourism operators, hospitality businesses, and other stakeholders to populate the national Ember2Remember calendar with festivals, concerts, cultural events, and tourism experiences scheduled for September to December.

“If you are organising a festival, concert, exhibition, food experience, cultural celebration, fashion event, sporting event, tourism experience, conference, or any major activity during this period, we want it on the national calendar.

“We want to create a single, credible, and compelling platform through which Nigerians, the diaspora, and international visitors can discover what is happening across Nigeria. Imagine someone sitting in London, New York, Johannesburg, or Toronto being able to see, in one place, the extraordinary experiences available across Nigeria,” Musawa stated.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of MyCityApp, Mrs. Ifeoma Chukwu, described Nigeria’s rich culture as one of the most vibrant creative industries in the world, with an opportunity to turn every visitor’s experience into economic value.

“When we speak about building a $100 billion tourism economy, it may sound ambitious. But globally, the evidence tells us it is achievable. In 2024, tourism contributed over $270 billion to Spain’s economy, about $289 billion to France, and more than $2.5 trillion to the economy of the United States. So, the question is not whether a $100 billion tourism economy is possible. It is: why not Nigeria?” Mrs. Chukwu queried.

Also in attendance were the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, the Enugu State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Barr. Ugochi Madueke, representative of the Minister of Information and National Orientation, the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Obi Asika, Director-General, National Gallery of Art, Ahmed Sodangi, the Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, and the CEO of MTN Nigeria, Dr. Karl Toriola, among other stakeholders.

MyLagosApp and MyCityApp will serve as the digital engine for the calendar, distributing events through a 360-degree media ecosystem to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora. Stakeholders were urged to upload events on http://www.MyCityApp.io.

By Otobong Gabriel, Abuja 

The Rotary Club of Abuja Bwari has commemorated the 2026 World Hepatitis Day with a medical outreach programme in Chika Community of AMAC, Abuja with focus on hepatitis awareness, early detection and improved access to healthcare services within the community.

Speaking during the outreach, the Assistant Governor of the club, Rtn Shola Ayanronke Adeleke said the initiative was part of the club’s commitment to promoting healthier communities through preventive healthcare, awareness creation and support for vulnerable families.

The outreach, themed “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down,” featured free hepatitis screening, health education, counselling and vaccination services, encouraging residents to take preventive measures and seek early medical attention.

The club also extended the intervention to maternal and child health by organising sensitisation sessions for mothers and families on antenatal, prenatal and postnatal care, while promoting early childhood vaccination.

The programme included health talks, deworming for children, distribution of essential maternal and child health items, and other interventions aimed at improving community wellbeing.