The Honorable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa, warmly welcomed Her Excellency Elisabeth Baume Schneider, Swiss Federal Councillor, to the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC) in Lagos, joined by CBAAC Director General Aisha Augie.
The landmark visit paid homage to the transformative legacy of FESTAC ’77—one of Africa’s most iconic cultural gatherings—while spotlighting CBAAC’s pivotal role as guardian of an unparalleled archive documenting Black and African artistic excellence. As Nigeria gears up for the landmark 50th anniversary celebrations of FESTAC in 2027, the occasion culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between CBAAC and Switzerland’s prestigious Cinémathèque suisse.
This strategic partnership opens vital new avenues for cultural preservation, archival exchange, film heritage collaboration, and broader heritage cooperation between the two nations. By merging Nigeria’s rich creative repositories with Swiss expertise in cinematographic conservation and restoration, the MoU promises to elevate global access to African narratives while strengthening tourism through authentic cultural diplomacy.
The engagement underscores Nigeria’s proactive stance in leveraging international alliances to safeguard history, fuel the creative economy, and position its tourism offerings as compelling bridges between past glory and future innovation.
