The Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, in collaboration with the non-governmental organisation Photizo Life Foundation (organizers of the African Hair Summit), hosted the 2025 edition of the annual Creativity Week, themed “Transforming World, Promoting Sustainable Development.”

The ceremony, which turned out to be a successful collaboration with the Ministry, was organized by Adanna Ifeoma Enwezor, founder of the African Hair Summit, as part of their annual schools community training program to encourage creativity among the youth and open up opportunities for them in the natural hair industry in Africa. This event took place at the main hall of Stella Maris College, Life Camp, Abuja, with over 250 students in attendance, along with dignitaries from the arts and creative sector and parents of the students, who were also active participants.

In his opening remarks, the Director overseeing the office of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Mr. Raphael Oremuno, expressed delight with the success of this year’s event, assuring that the Ministry will continue to promote and propagate Nigeria’s culture, creative arts, and digital economy.

According to the Acting Permanent Secretary, the National Creativity Week aims to celebrate the power of creativity and provide empowerment, especially for the youth of the country.

“In light of this, it gives me great joy that this particular occasion is directed towards discovering, nurturing, and showcasing the innate creative potentials and talents of these beautiful young children of Stella Maris Schools, Life Camp, Abuja,” he stated.

He acknowledged the numerous efforts made by critical stakeholders in the sector, particularly Adanna Ifeoma Enwezor, founder of the African Hair Summit and convener of the Afro-Hair Culture and Beauty Festival.

He noted that this year’s theme resonates with the ability of creativity to transform both the people’s mindset and the country’s economy.

“The theme of this year’s occasion, ‘Transforming the World, and Promoting Sustainable Development,’ is a testament to the ability of creativity to transform not only economically but also mentally, as well as empower everyone to imagine new ideas, make new decisions, and take new steps towards making the world a better place through creativity and innovation,” he said.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr. Shuaibu Useni, said Creativity Week is celebrated annually on January 18th around the globe, noting that it holds immense potential for Nigeria’s youth in empowerment and capacity building.

“This event is not just about becoming an entrepreneur but also teaching the younger generation how to take care of themselves. Understanding natural hair is very important for our African culture and beauty entrepreneurship.

“I like the fact that we are partnering with the African Hair Summit to get this job done. We need to begin to train our young people on how to maintain natural hair so that they don’t cause health hazards to themselves by using chemicals on their bodies,” he said.

The Founder and CEO of the African Hair Summit and Afro-Hair and Beauty Festival, Adanna Ifeoma Enwezor, recalled her unpleasant experience with the use of inorganic relaxers and chemicals, a situation that became a turning point when she decided to advocate for the promotion and acceptance of natural hair, not just in Nigeria but across Africa.

She expressed delight in partnering with the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Digital Economy to teach and empower young students.

“I’m passionate about this advocacy. I have been doing this for the past eight years now, and the responses and results have been impeccably outstanding.

“I urge the students to make judicious use of what they have been taught today. I thank the Minister of Arts, Culture, and Digital Economy and her team for this auspicious collaboration. I’m delighted about this partnership, and I’m happy that this event helped achieve our objectives in propagating the opportunities in the natural hair industry,” she said.

She concluded by encouraging more collaborations and partnerships in 2025, emphasizing the need to empower young people to be mentally and physically engaged and productive.