The official flag off, signaling the full commencement of activities towards the successful mounting of the 2025 edition of Zuma international film festival jointly organized by the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has taken place, with assurances of new opportunities and new experiences. The flag off, during a world press conference, held Monday, October 13, in Abuja, the official host city, was performed by Nigeria’s art, culture, tourism and the creative economy Minister, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa.
NFC’s Managing Director, Dr. Ali Nuhu, at the press conference disclosed that the film festival, the 15th in the series, scheduled to hold December 1-5, 2025 in Abuja, has become a “symbol of our creative pride, a celebration of the stories that defines us as a nation”. Film production and its value chain development in Nigeria, which Zuma film festival seeks to promote, has been our resolve since its debut in 1993. Nigeria’s creative voice must be heard, respected and should secure the needed investment. Nuhu further said that film, has become a soft power, transforming creative economies globally, utilizing creative and compelling storytelling opportunities that must be appropriately harnessed, supported and promoted.
The art, culture, tourism and the creative economy Minister, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa, said that the present administration has continued to show unwavering support towards the development of Nigeria’s creative and film industries. Film production and the audio-visual sector “has maintained a steady leap as a critical co-driver of Nigeria’s creative economic growth, youth empowerment, and a global brand for investments”.
Nigeria’s film industry, widely known as Nollywood, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa said, “remains an asset that reflects the richness of our cultural heritage”. Its impact, she averred, continues to resonate impressively across the country and beyond. This explains “our deep commitment and resolve to its sustenance, including the introduction and implementation of innovative short, medium and long term investment interventions, collaborations and partnerships by the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy”, including critical intervention and innovative projects such as IDICE, CLAP, CEDF and various Memorandum of Understating; intentional and sustained offshore engagements, that enables the achievement of sectoral development and growth, seamless.
Commending the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), for the valuable collaborative partnership, Barr. Musawa, said ZUMA remains a major premier film event, that seeks, not only to grow Nigeria’s Cinema, but strengthen investment opportunities inherent in the film production value chain. Unparalleled resilience, creativity, and determination of Nigeria’s filmmakers, she further said, have continued to fuel the nation’s remarkable rise within the global creative space. “Nigeria’s film Industry ability to embrace the quick paced global and digital transformation as well as innovations has made the power of our storytelling compelling, exciting and accessible to millions worldwide, contributing to the projection of her creative brilliance”.
FCTA’s Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, assured of sustainable support to activities that seek to harness the creative and hospitality potentials of the territory, including employment generation and wealth creation, including Zuma Film Festival. Dr. Mahmoud was represented by Mr. Thompson Makolo.
Heads, including representatives of Government Agencies; as well as Eva Barta, Yeng Jianxing, Cultural Officers of the Embassies of Spain and China; and Film Industry Guilds and Associations members, also attended the flag off ceremony.
Mrs. Halima Oyelade, festival director, also assured that Zuma International Film Festival 2025, with the theme “Storytelling for Global Influence: Film as A Soft Power and Economic Force” will deliver on its key objective of situating Nigeria’s film industry globally, as well as accessing Nigeria’s audience choices for global creative contents through the daily free film screenings during the festival, and positioning of the nation’s film industry to rapidly adapt to global opportunities and investment ecosystem.
