Joyce Onwuka
To commemorate International Women’s Day 2026, MMELI Arts Foundation, in
collaboration with Alliance Française de Lagos, has held the Women, Words and Wealth workshop in Ikoyi, bringing together women writers and creatives for an intensive focused on craft, voice and pathways to publication.
Designed as a practical workshop, the programme focused on helping participants strengthen creative identity, develop a distinctive voice and navigate publishing opportunities. Sessions centred on Creative Identity, Developing Your Voice and Publishing Pathways, led by storyteller and filmmaker Phoenix Ezendu; actor, writer and filmmaker Richard Mofe- Damijo; and award-winning author and journalist Nina Anyianuka.
Speaking on the workshop’s significance, Richard Mofe-Damijo, chairman of MMELI Arts Foundation, said the organisation was focused on building structures that move African voices “beyond potential into tangible influence”, adding that creative talent must be matched with institutional support to compete globally.
Victor Mark-Onyegbu, head of grants and community building at Africa No Filter, urged participants to recognise the power of narrative in shaping global perception, and to tell grounded stories that challenge long-standing stereotypes about the continent.
Founded by Nina Anyianuka, MMELI Arts Foundation says it supports cultural renewal and professional development for creatives. Partners for the workshop included Nestlé Nigeria, Rite Foods, Alliance Française Lagos and Africa No Filter.
Anyianuka said the foundation was pushing for greater rigour in creative practice. “The goal is not simply to encourage expression, but to equip women with the tools to produce work that can stand in professional and global spaces,” she said.“That is why we created Women, Words and Wealth: to help women writers move from private expression to public authorship, with an emphasis on discipline, structure and intentionality,” she added.
Participants described the workshop as a timely boost for women in the creative sector, blending cultural grounding with practical frameworks for building sustainable careers in storytelling.
Dorothy Ughenu, a television and screenwriter, said: “Women, Words & Wealth was a first-of-its-kind programme that developed and nurtured a safe space for women in the storytelling community. Applying the structures shared by the facilitators will amplify our voices and strengthen our earning power.”
MMELI Arts Foundation said details of forthcoming workshops and opportunities for writers will be announced in the coming weeks.