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QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit to address funding, policy gaps in creative sector – Technology Times

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As Nigeria’s creative industries continue to command global attention, a familiar question is resurfacing within policy and business circles: can the country build the systems needed to sustain its cultural momentum?

That question will sit at the centre of the QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit scheduled for August 11 in Lagos, where stakeholders are expected to confront the structural weaknesses trailing the sector’s rapid rise.

Organised by Mighty Media Plus, publishers of QEDNG, the summit comes at a time when Nigerian film, music and digital content are expanding their global footprint, yet industry players continue to grapple with financing gaps, fragmented regulation and limited institutional support.

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Olumide Iyanda, publisher of QEDNG and convener of the summit. Image credit: Olumide Iyanda/Facebook.



The framing signals a shift in how industry gatherings are being positioned. Rather than celebratory showcases of success, platforms like the QEDNG summit are increasingly being used to interrogate the fundamentals of growth, from funding and policy to market access.

For Olumide Iyanda, publisher of QEDNG and convener of the summit, the growing visibility of Nigerian creatives has outpaced the frameworks needed to support them.

“Nigeria’s creative sector has grown in visibility, but the structures that support it are still evolving. The QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit is part of the effort to bring clarity, direction and serious engagement to that growth,” he says.

The framing signals a shift in how industry gatherings are being positioned. Rather than celebratory showcases of success, platforms like the QEDNG summit are increasingly being used to interrogate the fundamentals of growth, from funding and policy to market access.

Iyanda suggests that the intention is to push conversations toward implementation.

“This summit is designed as a meeting point for ideas, influence and execution. It is not just about conversations, but about outcomes that strengthen the creative economy,” he says.

That emphasis reflects a broader concern within the sector: while Nigerian creatives are winning global audiences, the domestic ecosystem has yet to fully translate that success into structured economic value.

At its inaugural edition, the summit drew participation from industry figures including Udeme Ufot and Nkiru Balonwu, alongside creatives such as Kunle Afolayan and Mike Dada. Their contributions, Iyanda notes, helped establish the tone for more rigorous engagement around the creative economy.

“The first edition showed that there is strong interest in serious engagement around the creative economy. We had contributions from experienced voices who helped set the tone for the kind of platform we are building,” he says.

The 2026 edition is expected to deepen that engagement, with discussions planned around innovation, funding models, growth strategies and the global positioning of Nigerian talent. Organisers are also expanding participation to include a wider mix of policymakers, entrepreneurs and emerging creatives, reflecting the increasingly interconnected nature of the industry.

Beyond the immediate event, the longer-term ambition is to build a platform that shapes both policy and practice in the sector.

“Our goal is to build a platform that remains useful over time, one that documents progress, connects stakeholders and contributes meaningfully to policy and practice,” Iyanda says.

As Nigeria looks to convert cultural influence into economic strength, the conversations in Lagos may offer an early indication of whether the industry is ready to move from momentum to maturity.

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NIA Chairman Engages Technical Committee Leadership, Calls for Proactive Industry Advocacy

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October 30, 2026

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PRESS RELEASE—The Chairman of the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), Mrs. Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu, has charged the Association’s Technical Committees to strengthen their contributions to industry development through proactive engagement, strategic recommendations and effective collaboration in addressing emerging challenges in the insurance sector.

Mrs. Nwachukwu gave the charge during a breakfast meeting with Chairmen and Secretaries of the Association’s Technical Committees on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.

The meeting provided an interactive platform for the NIA leadership and representatives of the Technical Committees to assess their activities, identify areas for improvement and explore strategies for enhancing their effectiveness and contributions to the growth of the Association and the Nigerian insurance industry.

Speaking at the engagement, Mrs. Nwachukwu commended the Technical Committees for their invaluable contributions to the Association’s activities and the development of the insurance industry over the years.

She, however, challenged them to demonstrate greater commitment, innovation and responsiveness in discharging their responsibilities, stressing that their expertise and recommendations remain critical to the Association’s strategic direction and industry advocacy initiatives.

According to her, the NIA Governing Council places significant expectations on the Technical Committees, particularly in providing informed recommendations that serve as the foundation for Council decisions on market conduct guidelines, regulatory policies and other critical industry matters.

The Chairman emphasised the need for the insurance industry to move beyond reactive responses to emerging issues and assume a more proactive role in shaping national economic conversations and policies.

“As insurers, we must not be reactive but proactive in driving conversations around policies and developments affecting the economy and its various sectors. As risk bearers, we have a critical role to play in providing insights and solutions that promote economic stability and resilience.

“The NIA must become stronger and more influential in advancing the collective interests of the insurance industry. To achieve this, our Technical Committees must be at the forefront of driving meaningful engagements, developing practical solutions and providing strategic recommendations that will strengthen the industry,” she stated.

Mrs. Nwachukwu further underscored the importance of collaboration, knowledge-sharing and timely responses to industry developments, urging the Committees to leverage their collective expertise to address emerging risks, regulatory challenges and opportunities for sustainable growth.

She noted that the effectiveness of the Technical Committees would significantly influence the Association’s ability to champion industry reforms, strengthen stakeholder confidence and contribute meaningfully to national economic development.

In her welcome address, the Director-General of NIA, Mrs. Bola Odukale, expressed appreciation to the leadership and members of the Technical Committees for their unwavering commitment, professional contributions and continued support to the NIA Secretariat and the insurance industry.
Mrs. Odukale reiterated the Secretariat’s commitment to strengthening its working relationship with the Committees and providing the necessary institutional support to enhance their operational effectiveness and delivery of their mandates.

The Director-General assured the Committee leadership of the Association’s readiness to facilitate greater coordination, improve communication channels and promote timely consideration of technical recommendations to ensure that their contributions translate into measurable outcomes for the industry.

The NIA Technical Committees represented at the engagement cut across major areas of insurance operations and industry administration. They include the Accident Offices Committee; Accounting Technical Committee; Claims Management Committee; Corporate Affairs Committee; Energy and Special Risks Technical Committee; Fire Offices Committee; Human Capital Management Committee; Information Technology Committee; Legal Committee; Life Offices Committee; Marine Offices Committee; Microinsurance Committee; Motor Technical Committee; Risks, Audit and Compliance Committee; Agricultural Insurance Committee; and Reinsurance Committee.

The breakfast meeting underscored the NIA leadership’s commitment to fostering stronger institutional collaboration, promoting proactive industry advocacy and repositioning the Technical Committees as strategic drivers of innovation, regulatory engagement and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s insurance industry.

The post NIA Chairman Engages Technical Committee Leadership, Calls for Proactive Industry Advocacy appeared first on Business Today NG.

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Waymo taps Toyota to supply robotaxis for Japan and the U.K.

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30 minutes ago

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October 30, 2026

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Waymo will begin testing autonomous Toyota bZ4X vehicles in Japan next year as part of a broader partnership with the automaker to provide electric vehicles for robotaxi operations in international markets, including the U.K.

Under the partnership announced Friday, Toyota will manufacture the 2027 bZ4X vehicles and integrate Waymo’s self-driving system at its Takaoka factory in Japan. (The electric vehicle is now known as the BZ in the North American market)

The autonomous bZ4X vehicles will initially be tested in Japan, where Waymo intends to eventually operate a robotaxi service. But the intent is to deploy these vehicles in other right-hand driving countries such as the U.K. Waymo has been testing its autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in London for months and plans to launch a robotaxi service there once it receives the necessary permits.

The announcement comes 18 months after Toyota and Waymo signed a preliminary agreement to explore the development and deployment of an autonomous vehicle platform. At the time, the agreement fell into the “let’s see what happens” category, with language vague enough to leave plenty of room for interpretation.

For now, the partnership looks more like a conventional vehicle supplier deal that helps Waymo fill specific regional needs while adding a new model to its robotaxi portfolio.

But the partnership could go beyond robotaxis. The companies said they will continue to look at bringing Waymo’s autonomous technology to personally owned Toyota vehicles.

Toyota and Waymo also announced plans to look at other future “initiatives” that would use “insights from Waymo’s real-world operations” to improve safety for other road users. What that might mean is unclear, although Hiroki Nakajima, executive vice president of Toyota and a board member, provided some clues.

“This collaboration will help scale that technology and bring it to customers in Japan and beyond through Waymo’s ride-hailing service, and in parallel, Toyota will continue to explore how integrating vehicles with traffic infrastructure can make those roads safer still,” he said in a statement.

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