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KCCN Intensify Efforts To Impact More Nigerians Through Cooking

By Joel Ajayi

Empowerment and training of human beings, no doubt, remain the spine behind the sustenance of any development in the world. This is the story of the Korean Cultural Centre Nigeria KCCN, who over the years, increased efforts to ensure many Nigerians are empowered through different endeavors in life.

The Center has given thousands of Nigerians leverage in arts, culture, entertainment, language education, creativity, and sports and recently added another sector, which is cooking class.

KCCN was established in 2010 in Nigeria’s Capital Territory, Abuja to enhance friendship, bilateral relations, and understanding between Korea and Nigeria through cultural and educational programs, and today, the center is making thoughtful progress.

On Tuesday in the FCT, another batch of selected members of the Association of Professional Chefs in Nigeria (APCN) were on the ground to learn more about Korean cuisine and how to prepare two of the country’s most popular dishes.

Indeed, it was another great experience for Nigerian Chefs who chose cooking as their career, as they had more knowledge about continental dishes, the Korean food that is believed will go a long way to promote and advance them in the inter-continental dishes know-how.

One of the first dishes they cooked was Spicy Braised Chicken and Com Cheese

In his remarks, shortly after the demonstration of the Chuseok cooking class, the representative of the Director of KCCN, Manager Of Cultural Content, Bae Sung Jin said the essence of the cooking class is to sensitize many Nigerian people about Korean food and to give opportunity to some who want to choose Korean food.

According to him, we are doing a lot of classes in Nigeria, not only cooking classes, but we also have K-POP Dance, Taekwondo, and language classes, among others.

“There is no Korean restaurant in Abuja, and Abuja is technically the capital of Africa, people want to try Korean food. That is what gave birth to this cooking class, to introduce our foods to the Nigerian people as well as empower them.

“We are trying to reach out to many Nigerians, which is why we choose members of the Association of Professional Chefs in Nigeria, and without a doubt, I do believe it will have an impact on their lives.” He said.

Speaking also was a staff of KCCN, Sharon Pwavi-Babale said, it’s the continuation of the effort of the center to expose Nigerians to Korean food.

“The reason, if noticed, Asian food which is popular in Nigeria is Chinese food and KCCN saw it as an opportunity, being the fact that a large number of people watch Korean movies, many Nigerians see Korean food through movies and desire to eat it.

“So, we ensure the cooking class is put in place as a means of introducing Nigerians to Korean dishes’ method of cooking and its richness.

However, Chuseok translates to autumn eve and is, at its core, a harvest moon festival nodding back to Korea’s traditional agrarian roots where traditional foods make their way onto every family’s table, and the infamous bumper-to-bumper traffic that plagues the country’s major roads in the lead-up to the long holiday, as people make the pilgrimage back to their hometowns to honour familial ancestors.

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Creative Industry

CAFA Targets $500bn Fashion Economy At Canex Wknd 2026

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Joel Ajayi

The Confederation of African Fashion (CAFA) will present its roadmap to grow Africa’s fashion economy from an estimated $30 billion to $500 billion at CANEX WKND 2026 in Lagos.

Marking its first anniversary on November 5, CAFA will unveil a joint stand with the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, formerly the National Arts Theatre, on November 5, 2026.

CAFA President, Aare (Prof.) Lai Labode, said the institution works with African governments to align sourcing, production, trade and intellectual property policies, ensuring African creativity generates greater value for African businesses and communities.

Nigeria became the first country to sign the African Fashion Industry Growth Charter on November 5, 2025, when the Honourable Minister Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa signed on behalf of the Federal Government.

Speaking ahead of the unveiling, Minister Musawa said: “Afroliganza seeks to build a structured, values-driven fashion economy rooted in African heritage, led by African institutions, and positioned for global impact.”

On employment potential, the minister emphasized that Investment  in fashion will create millions of jobs, particularly for women and youth.

Registered in Rwanda, with an office in Kigali and a desk at the Federal  Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, CAFA is also working with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs towards African Union adoption of the Charter. Rwanda is progressing towards becoming its second participating country and the first in East Africa.

Its first year saw fifty nations gather at the Egbaliganza-Lisabi Festival in Abeokuta and a signed MoU with Türkiye’s ASRIAD.

CAFA’s programmes promote processing African raw materials into finished apparel locally. ‘Own What We Create’ addresses intellectual property protection, while the CAFA Certified Seal and CAFA Heritage Mark support standards and authenticity. African Global Fashion Houses are currently being established across international markets.

The African Global Fashion Games will debut in Nigeria in 2028, bringing designers together under national colours. Held every three years, the Games will alternate between African and international hosts, combining competition with investor meetings, deal signings and policy discussions. Its Instant Craft event gives competing nations identical materials and a fixed clock, placing skill at the centre of the contest.

CAFA is inviting creatives, fashion designers, artisans, diplomats, economists, investors and policymakers to its CANEX stand. Visitors can explore the roadmap, ask questions and identify opportunities to contribute through design, manufacturing, investment, research, trade and international partnerships. The stand will be open daily from November 5 to 8.

CAFA calls on the African Union to adopt the Charter, and governments to sign the Games Register and form national teams.

“Fashion has always told the world who Africa is. Now Africa will decide what fashion pays,” Aare Prof. Lai Labode said.

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