The Niger Delta Development Commission says it is collaborating with the University of Port Harcourt to build the capacity of people in the Niger Delta by promoting the growth of the creative industry and advancing sustainable development in the region.
Speaking during a four-day technical training programme on film production for filmmakers in the Niger Delta, held at the university’s Theatre Arts and Film Studies auditorium, the NDDC Head of New Media in the Corporate Affairs Department, Dr Selina Dan-Albert, said the commission was continually exploring opportunities to empower young people and equip them with relevant skills to thrive in the creative industry.
This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday by the NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, and sent to journalists.
Dan-Albert said the training would inspire greater interest in filmmaking as a viable career and source of livelihood, describing the initiative as a worthwhile investment in the future of the region’s creative industry.
She urged participants to make full use of the training, develop their professional skills and establish themselves in the film industry.
Dan-Albert also encouraged them to use their creative abilities to tell authentic stories about the Niger Delta.
She said the NDDC, as an interventionist agency, would “continue to support initiatives aimed at improving their skills and professional capacity.”
In his remarks, the Head of the Department of Theatre Arts and Film Studies at the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Edward Imo, said the programme was “designed to equip participants from the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large with the technical skills required for filmmaking and the effective use of film to communicate the region’s stories.”
Imo described the collaboration with the NDDC as a sign of greater opportunities ahead and commended the commission for recognising the department and its contributions to practical film production.
He said the department had abundant human resources and professional expertise, including talents with experience in the Nigerian film industry.
Imo described the training as a well-conceived initiative that would further strengthen the creative sector.
He noted that while artificial intelligence and other digital technologies could enhance storytelling, filmmakers must ensure their work continued to reflect human experiences, emotions, aspirations and societal concerns.
He urged participants to use emerging technologies responsibly to communicate important social issues and contribute to societal development.
Imo called on other government agencies to emulate the NDDC’s investment in human capital development, noting that “sustained support for skills acquisition and professional training could significantly strengthen the Nigerian film industry.”
The Consultant and Managing Director of GreenHedge Resource Consults Limited, Mr Francis Abayomi, said the Niger Delta had immense opportunities for growth in the creative industries, adding that the training was designed to equip young people in the region with practical filmmaking skills.
Abayomi explained that the Department of Theatre Arts and Film Studies at the University of Port Harcourt was selected because of its pool of talent and contributions to developing professionals in the creative industry.
The National President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria, Mr Uche Agbo, described filmmaking as a key driver of employment generation and economic growth in Nigeria.
Agbo said the film industry offered young people opportunities to acquire skills, build sustainable livelihoods, and help reduce poverty and crime.
He emphasised that the industry’s relatively accessible entry points made it a promising sector for youth empowerment, noting that the training represented a significant boost for the Niger Delta’s creative economy and the country at large.
Agbo urged participants to discover their unique voices and develop distinctive storytelling approaches, stressing that integrity and authenticity were essential to successful filmmaking.
He also encouraged filmmakers to remain truthful to their stories and avoid compromising facts in their creative work.
Also speaking, veteran Nigerian actor Mr Bimbo Manuel described the training as a timely intervention, given the Nigerian film industry’s growing contribution to the country’s creative economy and national development.