Shareholders voting at the extraordinary general meeting of Stanbic IBTC in Abuja, yesterday.

The Nigerian Export
Promotion Council (NEPC) and the National Council of Arts and Culture, (NCAC) have advocated for the establishment of Craft Development and Skills Acquisition Centres across the country.
This is to attract significant patronage of Nigeria’s Arts and Craft in the international market.
According to a statement obtained by our correspondent from the zonal office of NEPC, in Port Harcourt last Thursday, the Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Mr Olusegun Awolowo explained that if Nigeria was to create global brands like the Chinese did with their Cuisine and Americans with the film industry, efforts should be geared towards establishing designated Nigerian Heritage Cities.
The occasion was the visit of the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Mrs Dayo Keshi to Awolowo in his office in Abuja.
Awolowo said the establishment of such cities would promote Nigerian products and cuisine in countries where Nigeria boasts of huge population.
“Given the huge population of Nigerians in South Africa, London, Atlanta in Georgia, and Houston in Texas both in the United States the Council intends to promote the creation of Nigerian towns in these cities to facilitate the export of local products and foods by Nigerian entrepreneurs” he added.
Responding, Mrs. Keshi said that to showcase the value of Nigeria’s creative and cultural industry, NCAC was willing to partner with NEPC to promote the potentials of the country beyond the shores of Nigeria.
According to her, stakeholders should look at the possibility of exporting local content particularly in the creative industry.
“We should develop and promote events like the Oshogbo’s Songo, Durbar in Kano or Boat Regatta Festival in any chosen location to attracts tourists,” she said.
She, however, said that for these festivals to attract significant participation by foreigners, it should be streamlined by way of creating fixed event dates in a year as well as the establishment of Special Arts Malls in Lagos, Kano and Abuja to make for proper planning and participation by tourists.
Keshi underlined that the aim of her visit to NEPC also included an expression to invite Awolowo as Guest Speaker at the forthcoming 40th year Anniversary of NCAC as an agency of government responsible for promoting arts and culture in Nigeria.