MMELI Arts Foundation (MAF) in collaboration with Alliance Française de Lagos and Nestlé Nigeria, have empowered women writers and creatives on developing craft, voice and pathways to publication opportunities.

The Women, Words and Wealth workshop held in Ikoyi, focused on helping participants strengthen creative identity, develop a distinctive voice and navigate publishing opportunities.

Sessions centred on Creative Identity, Developing Your Voice and Publishing Pathways, led by storyteller and filmmaker Phoenix Ezendu; actor, writer and filmmaker Richard Mofe-Damijo; and award-winning author and journalist Nina Anyianuka.

Speaking on the workshop’s significance,the chairman of MMELI Arts Foundation, Richard Mofe-Damijo, said the organisation was focused on building structures that move African voices beyond potential into tangible influence, adding that creative talent must be matched with institutional support to compete globally.

Head of grants and community building at Africa No Filter, Victor Mark-Onyegbu, urged participants to recognise the power of narrative in shaping global perception, and to tell grounded stories that challenge long-standing stereotypes about the continent.

Founded by Nina Anyianuka, MMELI Arts Foundation says it supports cultural renewal and professional development for creatives.

Anyianuka said the foundation was pushing for greater rigour in creative practice.

“The goal is not simply to encourage expression, but to equip women with the tools to produce work that can stand in professional and global spaces.

“That is why we created Women, Words and Wealth: to help women writers move from private expression to public authorship, with an emphasis on discipline, structure and intentionality,” she added.

Participants described the workshop as a timely boost for women in the creative sector, blending cultural grounding with practical frameworks for building sustainable careers in storytelling.

Television and screenwriter, Dorothy Ughenu, said the workshop was a first-of-its-kind programme that developed and nurtured a safe space for women in the storytelling community.

She said applying the structures shared by the facilitators will amplify voices and strengthen earning power.