MMELI Arts Foundation, Alliance Française de Lagos Empower Women

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MMELI Arts Foundation (MAF), in partnership with Alliance Française de Lagos, has hosted a capacity-building workshop for women writers and creatives in Lagos, focused on

storytelling craft and publishing pathways, as part of activities to mark International Women’s Day 2026.

The workshop themed ‘Women, Words and Wealth’ examined creative identity, voice development and routes to publication. It featured sessions led by storyteller and filmmaker Phoenix Ezendu; actor, writer and filmmaker Richard Mofe-Damijo; and award-winning author and journalist Nina Anyianuka.

According to the organisers, the sessions were designed to strengthen participants’ writing practice, refine their voice and clarify the steps required to take work from draft to publication or commissioned opportunities, within a fast-growing creative landscape.

Speaking on the initiative, Mofe-Damijo, Chairman of the foundation, said the sustainability of the creative sector depends on stronger support structures, including training and networks that enable practitioners to develop their work and compete beyond local markets.

Head of Grants and Community Building at Africa No Filter, Victor Mark-Onyegbu, noted that storytelling plays a role in shaping global perceptions of Africa, urging participants to tell stories grounded in lived realities and to challenge stereotypes.