Zoch accepts AGN National Patron role, pledges legislative support for actors’ welfare, professionalisation

Mercy Iheoma Ihedigbo

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hon. Gabriel Saleh Zoch, has pledged the commitment of the National Assembly to supporting legislative reforms aimed at strengthening the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and promoting the sustainable development of the country’s acting profession.

Zoch made the commitment when he received the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi Yakubu, and members of the Guild’s national leadership during a courtesy visit to the National Assembly in Abuja.

The meeting focused on the need for stronger institutional collaboration between the legislative arm of government and the Actors Guild of Nigeria, particularly in developing policies and legal frameworks capable of addressing the challenges confronting practitioners in the Nigerian film and entertainment industry.

Speaking during the engagement, Zoch expressed his readiness to work with the leadership of the AGN in advancing legislative initiatives that would reposition the acting profession, improve the welfare of practitioners and create a more sustainable environment for actors to thrive.

Among the key areas of proposed legislative intervention are the institutionalisation of standard contractual frameworks for actors, improved welfare and social protection mechanisms, enhanced professional safeguards against exploitation and the introduction of structured capacity-building programmes.

According to the lawmaker, such measures are necessary to ensure that Nigerian actors are adequately protected and equipped to compete favourably in an increasingly competitive global creative marketplace.

He commended the Actors Guild of Nigeria for its renewed emphasis on professionalism, institutional development and the welfare of its members, assuring the Guild’s leadership of his willingness to support policies that would strengthen the creative sector and contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s creative economy.

Zoch’s position reflects growing calls for greater government involvement in addressing some of the structural challenges facing Nigeria’s entertainment industry, including inadequate contractual protection, irregular payment of artists, limited social security provisions, professional exploitation and the need for continuous skills development.

A major highlight of the visit was the formal presentation of a Certificate of Nomination to Hon. Gabriel Saleh Zoch as a National Patron of the Actors Guild of Nigeria.

The certificate was presented by the National President of the Guild, Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi Yakubu, who expressed profound appreciation to the lawmaker for accepting the nomination and demonstrating a strong commitment to supporting the Guild’s reform agenda.

Yakubu described the acceptance of the honour by Zoch as a significant development in the Guild’s efforts to build stronger relationships with policymakers and other key stakeholders whose interventions could positively shape the future of the Nigerian film and acting industry.

The AGN President noted that the partnership between the Guild and the National Assembly would be critical to achieving the Guild’s vision of building a stronger, more professional and globally competitive acting profession.

He called for sustained collaboration between the Actors Guild and the National Assembly, particularly in the development and enactment of progressive legislation that would provide a robust legal and institutional framework for protecting actors, improving their welfare and advancing their professional interests.

Yakubu emphasised that the Nigerian entertainment industry remains a major contributor to the nation’s creative economy and has the potential to generate greater employment opportunities, attract investment and enhance Nigeria’s cultural influence globally if practitioners are adequately protected and supported.

He therefore urged policymakers to consider the specific needs of actors and other creative professionals when formulating policies and legislation for the sector.

The AGN delegation that accompanied the National President to the National Assembly included the Guild’s Vice President, North Central, Nazareth Jesse Bako; Mayor of Abuja, Mercy Salma Salami; the President’s Spokesman, Benedict Johnson; and Queen Sera Bulus.

The visit provided an opportunity for the Guild to further engage with policymakers on its ongoing reform agenda and to seek institutional support for initiatives designed to strengthen the acting profession.

The Guild’s engagement with the National Assembly is part of its broader efforts to deepen partnerships with critical stakeholders and secure the necessary institutional backing to address longstanding challenges within the profession.

The leadership of the Actors Guild of Nigeria is expected to continue consultations with relevant government institutions, policymakers and other stakeholders as it pursues reforms aimed at improving professional standards, strengthening actors’ welfare and creating opportunities for Nigerian practitioners to participate more effectively in the global creative economy.

The development also underscores the growing importance of collaboration between professional creative bodies and government institutions in creating an enabling environment for Nigeria’s entertainment industry to achieve its full potential.

With the acceptance of the National Patron role by Zoch and his pledge of legislative support, stakeholders in the acting profession are hopeful that the renewed engagement will translate into concrete policy initiatives and legal reforms capable of delivering long-term benefits to Nigerian actors and the wider creative industry.