The Director General of the African International Documentary Festival Foundation (AFIDFF), DG Malame Ngamariju Mangzha, on Tuesday, 28 January 2026, led her team on a courtesy visit to the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mukhtar Yawale Muhammad, MFR, mni, at the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy. The visit, held at the Conference Room of the Permanent Secretary, featured the formal presentation of the 2025 UNESCO World Heritage Action Camps Report implemented in Kano and Adamawa States, alongside the screening of a short documentary highlighting community-based heritage preservation efforts.
In her briefing, the Director of International Cultural Relations of the Ministry commended the Director General for her depth of expertise, consistency, and commitment to delivering measurable outcomes in heritage documentation and youth engagement. She acknowledged the steady collaboration between the Ministry and AFIDFF over the years and encouraged deeper institutional synergy. Other Directors present also contributed to the discussion, highlighting the importance of documentary storytelling, inter-agency cooperation, and community participation in preserving and promoting Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
The documentary screening provided a compelling visual narrative of heritage in practice, focusing on the Kano City Wall, Kurmi Market, and associated cultural sites. Through the experiences of volunteers drawn from different parts of Nigeria and beyond, the film demonstrated how youth-led documentation, hands-on conservation activities, and digital tools can strengthen community ownership, preserve historical memory, and support tourism development and cultural continuity.
In his response, Dr. Mukhtar Yawale Muhammad, MFR, mni, expressed strong appreciation for the quality of work presented by the Director General and her team. He described the initiative as thoughtful, well-executed, and reflective of genuine passion for Nigeria’s heritage. The Permanent Secretary commended the professionalism, resilience, and collaborative approach demonstrated throughout the project, emphasizing the need for sustained public awareness, youth involvement, institutional protection, and supportive policy frameworks to safeguard national heritage assets.
Dr. Mukhtar also acknowledged the leadership and commitment of the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Barr., noting that her passion for culture and the creative economy continues to inspire renewed attention to heritage preservation and national storytelling. He affirmed the Ministry’s readiness to continue working with credible partners whose initiatives align with its mandate to reposition culture and tourism as drivers of inclusive and sustainable development.
The visit concluded with the formal presentation of the 2025 UNESCO World Heritage Action Camps Report and an award of appreciation to the Permanent Secretary in recognition of his support and engagement. The Director General reaffirmed AFIDFF’s commitment to sustained collaboration with the Ministry, its Directors, and relevant partners to deepen heritage documentation, strengthen community participation, and project Nigeria’s cultural narratives to regional and global audiences.