NGA to train 50,000 young artists in AI-enhanced visual arts
On 21 February 2026 in Abuja, the National Gallery of Art (NGA) announced a nationwide push to equip 50,000 young visual artists with practical AI skills. The programme pairs creative training with hands-on use of AI tools, plus access to the Social Good Fund to help ideas turn into funded projects.
The announcement came at the launch of the National Creatives AI Media Toolkit, a collaboration between the NGA and AIDOS Studios, hosted at the SGF Innovative Hub in Mabushi. The goal is simple: help artists and media professionals tell stronger stories, protect cultural identity, and build sustainable careers.
Why it matters for creatives, PR, and communications
Nigeria's creative sector has influence that can't be ignored. This move gives artists and communicators the tech and support structure needed to create at scale without losing their voice.
NGA Director General Ahmed Sodangi put it plainly: "The creative industry in Nigeria has been flourishing for years, driven by the talent and passion of its people, often with minimal government intervention. However, the growth of this industry has reached a point where its influence is undeniable on the global stage. The government must partner with industry players. The Social Good Fund is an established framework that ensures business viability and access to funding for creative endeavours."
Pamela Williams, CEO of AIDOS CREATIONS, highlighted preservation, empowerment, and global reach. "Nigeria is abundant in talent, expression, and imagination... even the most compelling creative work needs effective communication, positioning, and sustainable support to make a lasting impression. This is the gap the National Creatives AI Media Toolkit seeks to fill."
What the programme offers
- Training that blends artistic fundamentals with practical AI workflows-giving artists new ways to ideate, iterate, and refine their work.
- Hands-on sessions with AI tools that support creative expression and production quality.
- Access to the Social Good Fund so participants can finance projects and build long-term careers.
- The National Creatives AI Media Toolkit to strengthen storytelling, communication, and distribution for artists and media teams.
For PR and communications teams
- Faster content development without losing brand tone-use AI for drafts, versioning, and asset variations, then layer in human judgment.
- Sharper storytelling-pair artists with comms leads to package narratives that travel across press, social, and partnerships.
- Cleaner distribution-standardize metadata, captions, and formats so work moves seamlessly across platforms.
- Clear guardrails-set simple policies for disclosure, copyright, and data use before campaigns go live.
How to prepare now
- Audit your current workflow. Highlight repetitive tasks that AI can handle so your team can focus on concept and craft.
- Skill up with focused learning paths: explore AI for Creatives and AI for PR & Communications to build practical capabilities.
- Draft a funding-ready brief. Define your story, audience, channels, budget, and success metrics-so you're ready to tap the Social Good Fund.
- Build a small "creative x comms" squad: an artist, a producer, and a communications lead. Move one pilot from idea to release quickly, then iterate.
The bigger picture
This initiative targets two outcomes that matter: stronger Nigerian stories in global conversations and real economic paths for the people who make them. It also supports cultural preservation while using AI in thoughtful ways-an approach widely encouraged by international bodies like UNESCO.
As the NGA and AIDOS Studios roll this out, creatives, PR teams, and media houses have a window to level up workflows and distribution. The opportunity is clear: pair artistic insight with smart systems and let the work speak for itself.
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