The Niger Delta Creative Industry Expo, ND Cre8 EX 2026, has been designed to provide creatives in the region with access to industry experts, funding, equipment, training, and emerging technologies. According to its Convener, Akpobome Ogude, popularly known as Ogusbaba, the expo aims to establish a long-term support system for creatives across the Niger Delta. The initiative was conceived to go beyond showcasing talents by providing a platform for creatives to develop their skills and derive economic value from them.
Ogude stated that the region has considerable creative talent, but many practitioners still have to look outside the Niger Delta for professional services and industry support. He cited the example of graphics designers who have to go to Lagos to look for work. The expo, he said, would help develop local capacity and create stronger links between creatives and organisations that can support their growth. This, he believes, will prevent creatives from leaving the region in search of opportunities.
The expo will provide participants with practical resources, including equipment and computers, as well as training in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Ogude disclosed that the organisers were also developing partnerships with financial institutions and international organisations to strengthen the support available to participants. This, he said, will ensure that creatives have access to the resources they need to succeed.
Ogude stressed that the initiative was not a one-off event, revealing that the organisers had developed a 10-year plan that would be reviewed periodically. The plan, he said, is not a one-man project, but rather a collaborative effort involving an advisory board with representation from all nine Niger Delta states. This, he believes, will ensure the sustainability of the initiative.
Kingsley King, Head of the State Directorate for the project, described ND Cre8 EX as “a platform, a bridge, and a vision born out of necessity.” King said the region had the talent but needed stronger structures to help creatives develop their skills and derive economic value from them. The theme of the expo, “Creating, Empowering Creatives and Unlocking Opportunities,” reflects its focus on bringing together industry leaders, creatives, financiers, organisations, and other stakeholders.
The initiative covers the nine Niger Delta states and has attracted support from state governments, as well as partnerships with organisations in the financial and maritime sectors. King said the expo is not a talent exhibition event, but rather a platform for connecting talent to opportunity, ideas to funding, and investment. This, he believes, will create reasonable value for creatives in the region.
The organisers of the expo have put systems in place to ensure that training and capacity development continue beyond the event. Participants will be registered and followed up after the expo to ensure that they continue to receive support. Ogude said the initiative would focus on building the capacity of young people rather than simply distributing money as empowerment.
Key points
- The Niger Delta Creative Industry Expo aims to bridge the gap between creative talents in the region and the resources needed to turn their skills into sustainable economic value.
