Mo Abudu launches Creative Academy in collaboration with Lagos's LACI

The EbonyLife Creative Academy (ELCA), a groundbreaking initiative supported by the Lagos State Government through Lagos State Creative Industries Initiative (LACI), under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, has been declared open for registration.

The academy was conceived by EbonyLife CEO – Mo Abudu in response to the growing shortage of industry professionals, as Nollywood continues to expand. “We have so much talent in Nigeria and our people are ready to work. Unfortunately, very little training is available locally and most people cannot afford to go abroad for training. EbonyLife Creative Academy is meant to fill that gap and make world-class training available. Thankfully, the governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, understood our vision and gave us the support we needed to establish the academy here in Lagos, the hub of Nigerian filmmaking,” she said.

On his part, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu said, “We are very excited about this development because it is in line with two of the development pillars of our THEMES agenda – education & technology and entertainment & tourism. By training our people to use the latest technology, we will continue to enhance the quality of our entertainment content and attract production crews from the rest of Africa and around the world.”

With Nollywood being the world’s third-largest film industry in terms of volume, ELCA is a good step towards creating a value chain built on international best practice in production quality.

According to Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, Hon. Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, ELCA is exactly what Lagos needs at this time. “As we begin to emerge from the shadow of this global pandemic, it is heartwarming to know that we can look forward to an increase in activity in the movie industry, which provides so many jobs and supports so many small businesses. EbonyLife Creative Academy will be a catalyst for growth in this sector,” she said.

Situated in the heart of Victoria Island, Lagos, ELCA features state-of-the-art lecture rooms with projection and sound facilities, studio workshop spaces, and post-production facilities fitted with the latest technology. The academy’s short courses and programmes are designed to provide both seasoned professionals and beginners with the essential technical, creative and practical skills for the film and TV industry.