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By Ojomah Austin.

Diplomats visited Kano Film Village to gain first-hand insight into how Kannywood is contributing to youth employment, education and economic opportunity across northern Nigeria. And to experience first-hand how a good entertainment can carry important social messages.

The delegation, led by the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, included ambassadors and deputies from Denmark, Spain, Italy, France, Czechia, Finland, Belgium and Austria.

The delegation was received by the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board, Alhaji Abba El-Mustapha, and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Ali Nuhu.

Team Europe met filmmakers, actors, producers and regulators. They observed the production of Hindatu, a film telling a story of a young girl determined to continue her education and become a medical doctor despite her family intention to marry her.

Speaking during the visit, Ambassador Mignot stressed the power of visual and creative arts to influence people’s behaviour:
“Stories have the power to inspire change. Films that promote education, opportunity and inclusion can spark important conversations and encourage positive change within communities,” he said.

“Creative industries are not only about culture. They are also about jobs, skills, entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for young people. Across Nigeria, young people are demonstrating remarkable talent and creativity, and industries such as Kannywood are helping transform that potential into livelihoods and economic opportunity”, he added.

Executive Secretary of the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board, Mr Alhaji Abba El Mustapha noted that Kannywood plays an important role in promoting positive social values while creating opportunities for practitioners across the creative sector. He added that Films and Video Censorship Board, had approved more than 10,000 films over the years while supporting the industry through training programmes, workshops and stakeholder engagement.
“Our role is not only regulatory.

We also work with filmmakers to strengthen professional standards, support capacity development and ensure that films contribute positively to society,” he said.

The delegation also toured Kano Film Village, a production facility developed by broadcaster and filmmaker Abdullaziz Dansmall, a dedicated production environment where films could be produced efficiently.

“Our first major production was Gidang Haya. We used the revenue from that project to build little by little, expanding the facility over time. Our long-term ambition is to transform the site into a fully developed film village capable of supporting larger productions.”, Mr Dansmall said.

Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Mr Ali Nuhu, highlighted the industry’s economic significance, citing research that identified film production as the second-largest source of youth employment in Kano State after agriculture.

The industry’s impact extends far beyond entertainment, creating livelihoods and supporting businesses throughout the value chain.

He also highlighted ongoing challenges facing the sector, particularly around distribution and access to production facilities, noting that the industry has increasingly adapted to digital platforms and online distribution channels as traditional DVD markets declined.

Team Europe visit also came as the European Union expands its support for cultural cooperation between Africa and Europe through initiatives such as the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture (AEPC), a €30 million programme supporting artist mobility, cultural spaces and collaboration between African and European creative professionals. The initiative reflects the EU’s growing recognition of culture and creative industries as drivers of economic opportunity, innovation and social development.

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By Gloria Ikibah

A proposal to grant automatic admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) for graduates of military secondary schools has drawn strong opposition from defence stakeholders, who argue that the measure could compromise merit-based selection and conflict with constitutional provisions governing access to higher education.

This was the concerns raised on Tuesday during the second day of a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Defence, as lawmakers considered a series of amendments to existing military legislation.

The proposed amendment to the NDA Act seeks to create a pathway for students graduating from military secondary schools to gain direct entry into the academy without undergoing the standard competitive admission process.

However, participants at the hearing cautioned that such a provision could unfairly disadvantage other qualified candidates seeking admission into the country’s premier military training institution.

The hearing considered four defence-related bills, among which includes a Bill for an Act to Amend the Nigerian Defence Academy Act, 2024 and for Related Matters (HB.1709), which proposes automatic admission for graduates of Nigerian military schools into the academy.

Presenting the position of the Nigerian Defence Academy, the Director of Military Training, Brigadier General Taiye Ahmed, explained that the proposed amendment seeks to alter Section 8(2) of the Second Schedule to the NDA Act by granting what he described as “automatic admission, right of first refusal” to applicants from Nigerian military schools.

He argued that admission into the NDA should remain open to all eligible Nigerians through a transparent and competitive process, regardless of educational background or institutional affiliation.

Ahmed said the proposed amendment provides that: “The board shall offer automatic admission for successful graduates from Nigerian military schools.”

According to him, the justification advanced by the proponents is “to prevent the graduates of the schools from being handy tools in the hands of non state violent actors because of the graduate military background.”

He further explained that the proposal also seeks to introduce an interpretation section defining “The Board” as the Board of the Nigerian Defence Academy, “Applicant” as candidates applying to the NDA, and “Nigerian Military Schools” as military schools that provide full military and academic training, including the Nigerian Military School, Zaria; Air Force Military School; Air Force Girls Military School; and the Nigerian Navy Military School.

However, Ahmed said the academy does not support the amendment in its current form.

“However it was observed that if the amendment is passed as phrased, it has the potential of creating statutory bottlenecks on the constitutional principle of federal character. The NDA operates on this principle to ensure national unity and equal representation across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT,” he said.

He added that the proposal could also face legal hurdles because it would unfairly disadvantage other Nigerians seeking admission into the academy.

“Moreover, the proposed amendment could face legal challenges for being discriminatory against applicants who did not attend the military school as it could be perceived as disenfranchising them for admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy”, he added.

Ahmed maintained that graduates of military secondary schools already enjoy equal opportunities under the existing admission process.

“The graduates of military schools currently have equal opportunity to seek admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy to be commissioned as regular combatant officers by competing with other interested Nigerians.

“The process has consistently ensured that the NDA selects the best candidates irrespective of the secondary school they attended.

“Moreover graduates of the military schools have the opportunity for immediate enlistment as soldiers, especially the Nigerian Military School, Zaria upon graduation from military secondary schools and thereafter proceed to higher military institutions through military sponsorship. Upon graduation from higher institutions these graduates could apply to be commissioned as officers through the short service commission or the direct short service commission when advertised by any of the three services of the Armed Forces of Nigeria”, he said.

According to him, officers who do not secure commissions through those channels still have another opportunity later in their careers.

“Furthermore those unable to secure admission through the short service commission or the direct short service commission could apply for the executive commission later in their career.

“It is pertinent to state that the NDA has a very strict admission criteria including minimum JAMB score as well as very high standard physical, psychological and medical standard”, he asserted.

He further disclosed that available records indicate that civilian applicants sometimes outperform graduates of military secondary schools during the selection process.

He urged lawmakers to retain the current admission framework.

“Available record in the Armed Forces show that civilian candidates could be better than some military school graduates based on their earlier mentioned criteria to avoid disenfranchising excellent candidates that did not have the opportunity of attending military schools from admission into NDA.

“The NDA is of the opinion that the current admission process into the NDA should be maintained”, he stated.

Stakeholders also expressed concern that automatic admission for a particular category of applicants could limit opportunities for talented candidates from civilian schools and potentially weaken the diversity of the officer corps in the long term.

Besides the proposed amendment to the Nigerian Defence Academy Act, the committee also considered bills seeking to establish a Joint Doctrine and Warfare Centre to enhance coordination and effectiveness of military operations; establish the Armed Forces Medical College, Abuja; and establish the National Defence College of Nigeria as a postgraduate degree-awarding institution and centre for strategic research and professional military education.

Speaking at the close of the session, Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Hon. Babajimi Benson, commended participants for their contributions.

“This is the peoples Parliament. The contributions have been worthwhile,” Benson said.

The debate formed part of broader deliberations on defence-related legislative reforms currently before the National Assembly, with lawmakers examining proposals aimed at strengthening military institutions and improving the effectiveness of Nigeria’s security architecture.

The House Committee on Defence, chaired by Hon. Babajimi Benson, is expected to review submissions from stakeholders before making recommendations on the contentious amendment and other defence bills under consideration.

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…outline ambitious policies to tackle chronic electricity shortages despite vast energy reserves

By Gloria Ikibah

ECOWAS has unveiled a broad strategy aimed at closing West Africa’s persistent electricity deficit, despite the region possessing some of the world’s most significant untapped energy resources.

The plan was highlighted during a presentation at the ongoing delocalised joint meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Committees on Energy and Mines; Infrastructure; and Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources in Dakar, where policymakers and experts are examining pathways to accelerate energy access and rural development across the sub-region.

Delivering a presentation on “ECOWAS Regional Energy Policies and Key Energy Statistics,” the Acting Head of Conventional Energy at the ECOWAS Directorate of Energy and Mines, Mr Koumoin Arbaduis, painted a stark picture of a region blessed with abundant energy resources but still struggling to provide reliable electricity to millions of its citizens.

According to Arbaduis, West Africa possesses extensive reserves of crude oil, natural gas, biomass, uranium and coal, as well as an estimated 25,000 megawatts of hydroelectric potential. However, these advantages have yet to translate into adequate energy access and dependable power supply across the region.

He identified limited electricity generation capacity, poor access rates, costly transmission networks, significant technical and commercial losses, and heavy reliance on petroleum products as some of the key obstacles hindering progress.

Arbaduis explained that ECOWAS has developed a succession of regional policies and frameworks over the decades to address these challenges and build a more integrated and sustainable energy market.

He noted that the first ECOWAS Energy Policy, adopted in 1982 in the aftermath of the global oil crises of the 1970s, established the foundation for regional cooperation in energy production, petroleum exploration and electricity grid integration.

He said that the 2003 ECOWAS Energy Protocol subsequently provided a legal framework for investment, trade and long-term collaboration in the sector while laying the groundwork for the West African Power Pool initiative.

He also highlighted the significance of the 2006 ECOWAS/UEMOA White Paper on Access to Energy Services for Rural and Peri-urban Populations, which was designed to expand electricity access and modern energy services to underserved communities.

According to Arbaduis, major policy reforms introduced in 2013, including the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy and the Energy Efficiency Policy, were aimed at increasing the contribution of renewable energy to the region’s power mix, reducing energy losses and improving access to cleaner cooking technologies.

The ECOWAS official further pointed to the adoption of the ECOWAS Bioenergy Policy and the Policy for Gender Mainstreaming in Energy Access in 2017, noting that sustainable energy development must be inclusive and ensure equal opportunities for both women and men.

On emerging technologies, Arbaduis said the regional bloc had begun positioning itself for the future through the ECOWAS Green Hydrogen Policy Framework and Strategy, adopted in 2023. The initiative seeks to make West Africa one of the world’s most competitive producers and exporters of green hydrogen, with a production target of at least 500,000 tonnes by 2030.

He explained that the updated ECOWAS Energy Policy, adopted in July 2023, reflects changing economic conditions, technological advancements and climate realities. The revised framework prioritises improved governance, universal access to affordable and reliable electricity, energy diversification, efficiency improvements and wider access to clean cooking solutions.

Summarising the region’s long-term ambition, Arbaduis said the goal is to build “a community with access to modern, reliable and sustainable energy services for improved living standards and socio-economic development.”

At the end of the five-day parliamentary meeting, which started on June 15, with the theme, “Harnessing Renewable Energy for Rural Electrification and Empowerment of Rural Economies in the ECOWAS Region: The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament” , participants are expected to develop recommendations aimed at strengthening energy access, promoting investment and accelerating sustainable development throughout West Africa.