The Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), in collaboration with the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), Nigeria Cluster, has launched the Roots and Roofs: Pan-African Indigenous Skills Development (PAID) programme.
The initiative, backed by a €50,000 grant from EUNIC Nigeria Cluster, aims to preserve and revitalise Africa’s indigenous architectural and artistic traditions while empowering young innovators through equitable Africa-Europe cultural partnerships.
This was disclosed in a joint statement signed by CBAAC Director-General, Mrs Aisha Augie, and President of EUNIC Nigeria Cluster, Dr Nadine Siegert, on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to the statement, the PAID project is one of seven initiatives selected from 36 applications across Africa to benefit from the 2025 Grant for Africa-Europe Partnership under the European Union’s Spaces of Culture programme.
The funds will be administered jointly by CBAAC and the Goethe-Institut Nigeria for the implementation of the project, themed African-Inspired Interior and Exterior Architecture.
The programme is designed to integrate indigenous learning into sustainable development and youth empowerment, aligning with Nigeria’s Cultural Policy, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
“It repositions indigenous learning as a driver of innovation, sustainability and youth empowerment,” the statement noted, adding that the initiative would also serve as a model for collaborative African-European cultural exchange based on mutual respect and shared learning.
The one-year project will target Nigerians aged 25 to 35 from across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, promoting inclusivity, gender balance and regional diversity.
It will feature workshops, apprenticeships and community-based projects, equipping participants with hands-on training in indigenous architectural design, sustainable practices and cultural documentation.
The statement further explained that the programme seeks to bridge ancestral wisdom with modern creativity while addressing key cultural, social and environmental challenges.
In line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the initiative is expected to contribute to national priorities on job creation and human capital development.
(NAN)