igeria is launching the Nigerian Academy for Cultural Studies in September 2025, aiming to revive and institutionalise cultural knowledge nationwide

The Nigerian Academy for Cultural Studies (NACUS), a specialised monotechnic owned by the Federal Government, is set to commence academic activities in September 2025.

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The academy will operate with pilot campuses located in Lagos, Cross River, Ogbomosho, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

According to a statement released on Thursday by Caleb Nor, the media assistant to the executive secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), NACUS is a brainchild of NICO, an agency under the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.

The institution’s core mission is to revive and institutionalise cultural knowledge within Nigeria, fostering cultural pride and identity through structured academic and professional training.

Otunba Biodun Ajibola, the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of NICO, confirmed that the academy’s curriculum has received approval from the National Board for Technical Education, and its corporate registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission has been finalised.

“NACUS will award National Diplomas in Cultural Administration Resource Management and Postgraduate Diplomas in Cultural Administration, making graduates eligible for employment, civil service promotions, and professional opportunities both locally and internationally,” Otunba Ajibola stated.

The NICO boss underscored the critical importance of cultural understanding for sustainable national development. He cited the socio-economic progress of Japan, China, and Korea as being significantly driven by cultural awareness, while suggesting that Africa’s developmental challenges are partly attributable to the lingering effects of cultural imperialism.

“The Academy’s curriculum compares cultures across the globe to show that Nigeria’s heritage is neither inferior nor irrelevant,” he emphasised. “This is a strategic move to challenge and overcome decades of cultural erosion.”

Otunba Ajibola highlighted that NACUS’s programmes are open to a diverse range of individuals, including cultural officers, theatre practitioners, hospitality workers, filmmakers, and even international students with an interest in Nigerian culture. A key feature of the academy, he noted, is the opportunity for graduates to serve as cultural officers in Nigerian embassies worldwide.

Furthermore, NACUS is introducing innovative courses such as Cultural Technology and Cultural Pharmacology. Cultural Technology will focus on harnessing natural resources through indigenous technology for practical applications, while Cultural Pharmacology will explore and develop Nigeria’s rich botanical resources into medicinal formulations.

The establishment of NACUS has garnered widespread support. In the South-South region, the Cross River State Government has donated a fully equipped facility to house the academy’s regional campus, demonstrating its commitment to preserving and promoting cultural heritage.

Similarly, in the South-West, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, the Soun of Ogbomosho, has provided a building to host the Ogbomosho campus.

The monarch expressed his appreciation for the Federal Government’s initiative and reaffirmed his support for cultural education as a vital tool for national unity and development.

“We are proud to have this institution in Ogbomosho. It will become a centre for cultural learning, unity, and national identity,” the Oba stated.

“With NACUS, Nigeria takes a bold step toward cultural revival and sustainable development through education,” the statement concluded.