The Terra Academy for the Arts (TAFTA) recently concluded its inaugural Creator HQ programme, a three-day immersive event designed to empower female digital creators in Nigeria. Held from September 28-30, 2026, at POP Landmark Lagos, the programme brought together approximately 150 female digital creators for intensive learning, workshops, and networking opportunities. The event was developed around three core pillars: Create, Protect, and Scale, addressing key areas such as content creation, personal branding, and intellectual property.
Creator HQ was designed to provide participants with the knowledge, skills, and industry connections necessary to build sustainable creative careers. The programme was delivered with the support of the Mastercard Foundation and other partners, who contributed to the learning experience and provided practical opportunities and resources. The event featured workshops, group exercises, creator challenges, and question-and-answer sessions with experienced professionals from various industries.
The programme's curriculum covered a range of topics, including content creation and storytelling, personal branding, intellectual property and digital protection, monetisation, global income opportunities, brand partnerships, audience development, and the business of being a creator. By addressing these areas, Creator HQ aimed to equip participants with the business knowledge and structures required to turn their talents into sustainable livelihoods.
A key highlight of the programme was the opportunity for participants to put their learning into practice through creator challenges and hands-on activities. Outstanding participants were rewarded with content creation tools and creator kits, providing them with practical resources to support their creative journeys. The distribution of these tools reflected one of the programme's core objectives: ensuring that participants left with tangible resources to apply what they had learned.
Bolanle Austen-Peters, Founder of TAFTA, emphasised the significance of the programme, stating that creators need to understand how to protect their work, create sustainable income, and build structures around their careers. She added that supporting women in the creative economy is crucial to ensuring that young Africans can participate meaningfully in emerging opportunities. Joseph Umoibom, Academy Lead at TAFTA, described the programme as an important step towards closing the gap between creativity and business knowledge.
The impact of Creator HQ extends beyond the three-day programme. Participants will receive press passes to the Lagos International Theatre Festival (LITF), allowing them to experience and engage with one of Lagos' major cultural gatherings. The festival will take place on November 14 and 15, 2026, at MUSON Centre, Lagos. Members of the public can purchase tickets via the official ticket platform.
The successful completion of Creator HQ reinforces the importance of creating targeted platforms that respond to the changing realities of the digital creative economy. By providing young women with the confidence, knowledge, and resources required to participate fully in its growth, TAFTA is helping to strengthen Africa's creative economy and empower emerging creatives to build sustainable careers.
Key points
- Creator HQ programme empowers female digital creators with skills and tools to build sustainable careers.
- The programme was developed around three core pillars: Create, Protect, and Scale.
- Participants will receive press passes to the Lagos International Theatre Festival.
