MMELI Arts Foundation (MAF), in partnership with Alliance Française de Lagos, recently trained women writers in positioning storytelling and publishing know-how as part of the talent pipeline for Nigeria’s growing creative economy.
The one-day skills-based workshop for women writers and creatives held in Lagos was tagged, ‘Women, Words and Wealth.’
Richard Mofe-Damijo, chairman of MMELI Arts Foundation, stated that stronger industry structures are needed to help African storytellers scale their work.
He added that beyond talent, creators also require access to training, networks and platforms that enable them to compete in global markets.
Victor Mark-Onyegbu, head of grants and community building at Africa No Filter, stated that narratives influence how markets and audiences perceive Africa, urging participants to produce stories rooted in lived realities that broaden understanding of the continent.
Nina Anyianuka, founder, MMELI Arts Foundation, stated that the foundation focuses on cultural renewal and professional development for creatives.
She added that the foundation is working to improve the professional standards behind creative output.
“The goal is not simply to encourage expression, but to equip women with tools to produce work that stands up in professional and global spaces,” she stated.
With demand rising across book publishing, film and television, Anyianuka added that the workshop was aimed at improving the commercial readiness of women storytellers—covering craft, packaging and the practical steps required to move from idea development to publication and commissioned work.
“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,” Anyianuka stated.
Some of the participants stated that the sessions offered practical frameworks for developing stories, refining drafts and understanding how to position work for publication and paid opportunities in the creative value chain.
“Women, Words & Wealth created a safe space for women in the storytelling community. The structures shared by the facilitators can help amplify our voices and strengthen our earning power,” Dorothy Ughenu, a television writer and screenwriter, stated.
Partners for the workshop included Nestlé Nigeria, Rite Foods, Alliance Française Lagos and Africa No Filter.
The sessions focused on creative identity, developing a distinctive voice and navigating publishing pathways, and were led by storyteller and filmmaker Phoenix Ezendu; actor, writer and filmmaker Richard Mofe-Damijo; and Nina Anyianuka.
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