The Electronic Media Content Owners Association of Nigeria (EMCOAN) has launched the NEMCEA Creative Academy (NCA) to help young content creators and intending creators acquire professional training and mentorship from industry experts. 

The creative academy was unveiled at its second edition of the Nigerian Electronic Media Content Exhibition and Awards (NEMCEA) organized by EMCOAN held recently at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos. 

NCA is principally a Lagos-based but Pan-Nigeria Creative Academy that intends to train students/young minds and individuals that desires to have skills cum knowledge needed to be relevant and sought after in the content creative space in Nigeria with a focus on TV, Radio, and Online Media Business, thereby contributing immensely to the growth of the Creative Industry in the country. 

Some of the courses the academy offers include directing, sound design, cinematography, content creation/script writing, production management, live broadcast production, editing/post-production, acting (stage and screen), presentation, and lighting design.

The President of EMCOAN, Mrs. Jibe Ologeh said “The young and upcoming content creators are not left behind in our processes, consequently, this year we are introducing the NEMCEA Creative Academy initiative to accommodate young content owners who are yet to register their companies or are in the process of doing so. This is to encourage the younger generation and the guys with slapstick content on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, etc. So, this is a critical step of investing in the independent media production business for now and secures the future.”

Similarly, Alayande Stephen T., Project Director, NEMCEA 2023 and Secretary of EMCOAN explained that “The birth of NEMCEA Creative Academy (NCA), which as the name implies is meant to be the platform that will focus on young, burgeoning and new generation content producers, directors, scriptwriters, curators, owners, etc. Our idea is to creatively further add value to the already blossoming industry where the young ones are now daily churning out content to tell Nigerian and African stories using different genres of creative expressions. We will focus on students of Mass Communications with a bias to Broadcasting/ Content/ Creative Writing/Directing/Producing/Production design etc. and other relevant field of study from Higher Institutions in Nigeria and other students training to be content producers/directors and content creators. We will curate special sessions/workshops for them where they can constructively engage with the Industry stakeholders, learn from them and eventually find their paths”

He added that “The NEMCEA Creative Academy goes beyond the annual NEMCEA event but as EMCOAN, we will be designing a training programme for them for a period of time after which the students will be attached to already established Media Productions firms starting with EMCOAN Members companies and others. 

“Any industry that wants to succeed must be futuristic and deliberate about involving, encouraging, and creating opportunities for the new generation, otherwise, such Industry will go into creative extinction and experience an untimely dearth of talent/creative minds. The likes of Dr. Opa Williams, the creator of (A Nite of a Thousand Laughs) who is currently the EMCOAN BOT Chairman, Madam Agatha Amata (RAVE TV), High Chief Emeka Ossai (Actor/Producer) who are both BOT members, Jibe Ologeh (EMCOAN President), Theophilus Akatugba (EMCOAN Vice President) amongst many others had devoted over 30 to 40 years of their lives to building this Industry and business, so, it is only natural for the young content producers/owners to learn the secret of the business from them and be part of their success stories.”