By Deborah Enwerem
The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has pledged to work towards ensuring better remuneration, improved healthcare, social protection and professional development of Nollywood actors.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the guild’s National President, Abubakar Yakubu, stated this on Wednesday at an event to celebrate the 2026 International Actors Day in Abuja.
According to him, the guild is working to build an industry where Nollywood actors will be respected in Nigeria, compete successfully abroad and receive proper payment for their work.
He urged actors to remain committed and embrace professionalism, saying unity was needed to build a stronger acting community.
“Our vision is clear: to take the Nigerian actor to the global stage.
“We will continue to pursue international partnerships, global market access, capacity building and opportunities that will enable our actors to compete and succeed anywhere in the world,” he said.
Yakubu also acknowledged the contributions of directors, producers, writers, makeup artists, cinematographers, editors, marketers and other workers in the film industry.
“The actor may be the face of the story, but it takes an entire creative family to bring that story to life,” he said.
He encouraged Nigerian actors, both established and upcoming, to believe in themselves, support one another and prepare for opportunities in the international creative landscape.
“The future of the Nigerian actor is not something we should merely hope for. It is something we must build together,” said.
While congratulating Nollywood actors as they join actors and other creative professionals around the world to celebrate the international actors day, Yakubu described actors as storytellers who bring stories, culture and imagination to life.
He urged the thespians to get committed to their craft, while expressing optimism about the future of Nigerian actors, Nollywood and the wider creative industry at large.
“Today we celebrate the actor, the storyteller, the interpreter of our humanity, and the creative force that brings our stories, culture, and imagination to life,” he said.
According to Yakubu, actors do more than entertainment, as they also educate, inspire, preserve cultural identity and give a voice to people and communities whose stories deserve to be heard.
“International Actors Day is therefore more than a celebration. It is a reminder of the value, dignity and enormous potential of the actor,” he said.
NAN reports that international actors day is celebrated every year on Aug. 26 to recognise the contributions of actors to entertainment, culture and society.
The theme for the 2026 edition is, “Beyond the Screen: Impacting Communities, Transforming Lives”.(NAN)
Edited by Joshua Olomu