‘Film as Cultural Diplomacy’ Being Paper by The Executive Director/CEO of the National Film and Video Censors Board (Nfvcb)Dr. Shaibu Husseini Presented At the Film Summit Event of the 16th Eko International Film Festival Held On May 25, 2026 in Ikeja Lagos
I am deeply honored to be part of the 16th edition of the Eko International Film Festival and to speak on a subject that has become increasingly important in today’s interconnected world: Film and Cultural Diplomacy.
Before I proceed, permit me to specially commend the organizers of the Eko International Film Festival for sustaining this important cultural platform over the years. In particular, I must recognize the Convener, Hope Obioma Opara, for his doggedness, resilience, tenacity, and unwavering passion for the growth of cinema and cultural engagement in Nigeria. To sustain a film festival for sixteen editions, especially within the challenging realities of our environment and often with limited institutional support, is no small achievement. It requires vision, sacrifice, consistency, and an enduring belief in the power of film as a tool for cultural expression and national development.
The continued existence and relevance of this festival stand as a testament to his commitment to the creative industry and to providing a platform where filmmakers, storytellers, scholars, diplomats, and cultural practitioners can converge to exchange ideas and celebrate cinematic excellence. People like Hope Obioma Opara remind us that the growth of the creative industry is often driven first by passion before profit, by conviction before recognition, and by persistence before applause. I therefore congratulate him and the entire organising team for keeping this vision alive and for contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s cultural and cinematic landscape.
Permit me to begin with a simple but profound truth and that is the fact that nations are no longer known only by their military strength or economic power but they are now increasingly known by their stories.
A discussion about film will not be complete without looking at the different dimensions of films. For me, film is more than entertainment. Film is memory, its identity, its ideology, a tool for persuasion and a veritable tool for diplomacy. Before diplomats arrive in a country, films from that country may already have shaped perceptions about its people, culture, values, language, politics, and aspirations. You will agree with me, that it was Hollywood that defined America.
We can easily argue that Bollywood shaped perceptions of India, whilst the popular Korean cinema and K-Drama transformed global attitudes toward South Korea. We are increasingly witnessing how Nollywood is shaping how Africa — and particularly Nigeria — is perceived globally. This is the power of cultural diplomacy.
Therefore, I will conceive CULTURAL DIPLOMACY as referring to the use of culture, arts, and creative expression to foster mutual understanding between nations and peoples. And film has become one of its most effective instruments because it combines image, sound, emotion, language, fashion, music, history, and storytelling into one compelling medium.
Let’s briefly examine the powers that film possesses. First is that film humanizes people. A good film produced with the right dose of emotions allows audiences to see the humanity of people from cultures different from theirs. It breaks stereotypes and builds empathy. For example, films from the Middle East shown in Western countries have helped audiences better understand the realities of war, displacement, family, and identity beyond what is seen in news headlines.
In the same vein, Nigerian films have introduced global audiences to our resilience as a people, our family value, our spirituality, our music and very strong entrepreneurial spirit.
The second power of film is the power it has to shapes national image. A nation whose films consistently portray creativity, discipline, innovation, and humanity gains cultural influence globally. Whether we agree or not, film contributes heavily to national branding.
Many people who have never visited America, France, China, India or Nigeria already have mental images of these countries because of the films from the countries mentioned. Today, South Korea is a leading example. Through strategic government support for film, music, and television, Korean culture has become a global force. The success of Korean cinema has boosted their tourism, exports, fashion and international prestige. This is what scholars call soft power — the ability of a country to attract and influence others not through force, but through culture and ideas. Film therefore becomes diplomacy while our filmmakers are unofficial cultural ambassadors.
The third power of film is in its ability to encourage dialogue and cooperation. Through film festivals, co-productions and international collaborations, film has created spaces where nations through their filmmakers engage peacefully through creativity. I know of a Kenyan filmmaker Vincho who collaborated with a Nigerian filmmaker on an international project that premiered at Venice. Between them, cultures interact and ideas are exchanged. Here, film is not just an artistic enterprise but a bridge between people and nations. That is why film festivals such as the Eko International Film Festival are extremely important. They are not merely entertainment events; they are platforms of international cultural engagement.
Now let talks about government and cultural diplomacy. Since we have established that film is a diplomatic asset, it is given that government must treat the creative industry as a strategic national institution. Each time I have an opportunity to speak on or around this topic, I have always maintained that government has at least five major responsibilities in using film for cultural diplomacy.
The first and MAJOR responsibility is the CREATION OF ENABLING POLICIES. Countries that dominate global cultural influence did not achieve it accidentally. There was deliberate policy support. For films to succeed as a cultural diplomacy tool, government must establish supportive policies including policies that support funding structures, tax incentives, copyright protection and distribution. Government must also establish modern regulatory systems.
Indeed, government must continue to strengthen policies that make filmmaking easier, safer, more profitable, and globally competitive. At the National Film and Video Censors Board, we are working toward making content classification more accessible, technology-driven, transparent, and industry-friendly because regulation should not be seen as an obstacle, but as part of industry growth and international credibility.
The second responsibility is for government to PROTECT NATIONAL IDENTITY. Nigeria’s diversity is one of its greatest cultural assets. Our films should reflect our creativity, our plurality, our creativity and our aspiration. Therefore, as foreign content floods digital platforms and governments must ensure that local culture is not erased or misrepresented. Government must ensure that films preserve indigenous languages, cultural heritage, traditional values and historical memory. This does not mean censorship in the negative sense. It means cultural responsibility. If we do not tell our stories ourselves, others may tell them inaccurately for us.
The third responsibility is for government to SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL FILM ENGAGEMENT through their agencies including embassies and cultural missions. These agencies should make film tours, film festivals, cultural exchanges, and international screenings should form part of national diplomacy. The point we make here is that government must activate co-production treaties and fund participation in global festivals. The fact is that every Nigerian film exhibited abroad contributes to tourism, investment interest, cultural curiosity, and international visibility.
Lastly, government must see film as ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY. Globally, the creative economy contributes billions of dollars and millions of jobs. Film, a major component of the creative economy is no longer a side industry. It is one component of the creative industry that should be integrated into national development planning. Nollywood should be strategically supported to thrive so that it can attract foreign investment, continue to create employment, stimulate tourism, enhance export earnings and strengthen national prestige.
As I conclude, I must observe that cultural diplomacy is no longer controlled only by governments. Filmmakers themselves have become global actors in the cultural diplomacy ecosystem. Technology has also changed everything. With technology, films streamed in Lagos can be watched in several countries around the world. A young Nigerian filmmaker with a camera and internet access can shape global perceptions about Nigeria more effectively than many official campaigns.
I know I have already highlighted the task before government which include support for the industry and the positioning of film as a strategic national asset, I will charge filmmaker in their place as major actors in the cultural diplomacy space to tell stories that are authentic, excellent, culturally grounded, and globally resonant. Filmmakers must continue to build an industry that does not merely entertain the world, but meaningfully represents who we are as a people, because ultimately, cultural diplomacy is not only about how the world sees us, but it is also about how confidently we see ourselves. Our stories must therefore not merely seek international applause; they must preserve truth, dignity, and cultural integrity.
I thank you all for your attention.
Dr. Shaibu Husseini PhD Director/CEO National Film and Video Censors Board (Nfvcb)
