Gov. Mbah Receives AFRIFF Excellence Award, Pledges to Revive Enugu as Nollywood’s Creative Powerhouse

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has received the 2025 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) Excellence Award, recognising his administration’s strides in developing infrastructure and policies that foster growth in the creative and entertainment industries.

The award — now renamed the Herbert Wigwe Award for Excellence — was presented to the governor at the Government House, Enugu, by Chioma Ude, Founder and CEO of the Africa Foundation for the Development of Motion Pictures, Arts and Culture (AFDMAC), organisers of the AFRIFF Awards.

Presenting the honour, Ude praised the Mbah administration for its vision and investment in repositioning Enugu as a film-friendly state and the traditional home of Nollywood.

“Your administration has shown strong commitment to creating the right environment for Nollywood’s return to Enugu,” she said. “This includes building entertainment and sports parks, improving security, and implementing policies that view arts and culture as engines of job creation and economic growth. Through these initiatives, you are restoring Enugu’s legacy as a creative hub and reaffirming its place in Nigeria’s film and entertainment landscape.”

Governor Mbah, while expressing gratitude to AFDMAC and the AFRIFF team, said the award was a challenge to intensify efforts to make Enugu the cultural and cinematic capital of Nigeria once again.

“This honour reinforces our determination to continue providing infrastructure and enabling policies for the creative, arts, and cultural sectors to thrive,” Mbah said.

“As you may know, we have an ambitious vision to grow Enugu’s economy sevenfold, and the creative industry is key to achieving that goal. Our investments in infrastructure and security are deliberate — to make Enugu a haven for creatives and investors alike,” he added.

He assured that his administration would not relent until the state fully reclaims its position as the birthplace of Nollywood and a leading destination for creative excellence in Africa.

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