19,480 Kano Youths Trained In Creative Sector

No fewer than 19,480 youths have been trained in creative and entrepreneurial skills in Kano State through the Terra Academy for the Arts programme, implemented in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

The TAFTA Programme Manager, Abubakar Balarabe, disclosed this during the 2026 graduation ceremony of the academy held in Kano, where over 600 beneficiaries were honoured.

He said the trainees were equipped with skills in animation, scriptwriting, sound design, stage lighting, and arts business and entrepreneurship, noting that the initiative was designed to position participants as job creators.

Balarabe stated that of the 19,480 youths trained under the Year 4 intervention, 16,727 were female, adding that the programme had also recorded significant job-placement outcomes.

According to him, 13,667 females and 3,301 males have secured work opportunities through the initiative.

He further revealed that between Year 1 and Year 4, the programme reached 28,136 youths in Kano, comprising 22,024 females and 6,112 males, with a total of 16,968 work placements.

“In a state like Kano, where young people continue to shape culture and commerce, initiatives like TAFTA are essential in driving economic growth and youth empowerment,” he said.

Speaking at the event, the Gender Inclusion and Safeguarding Lead at TAFTA, Ngozi Chukwuma, said the initiative was targeted at bridging unemployment gaps in the creative sector, particularly among women and persons with disabilities.

She noted that while over 19,000 youths had benefited from the training, about 600 graduates were present at the ceremony, with women accounting for 75 per cent and persons with disabilities accounting for 5 per cent.

Chukwuma explained that the programme’s strong focus on women was aimed at addressing gender inequality and expanding access to opportunities, especially in northern Nigeria.

The graduation ceremony, themed “Unstoppable Voices: Breaking Barriers, Building Legacies,” celebrated the achievements of the trainees and highlighted the programme’s impact on Nigeria’s creative industry.