Sanwo-Olu honoured for supporting arts, creative industry at LITF

By Damilola Akinwale –

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has received the Award for Outstanding Support of the Arts and Creative Industry at the opening night gala of the Lagos International Theatre Festival (LITF).

The gala was part of the ongoing seven-day festival celebrating the growth and impact of the theatrical and creative community in Lagos. The governor received the award in recognition of his administration’s support for the creative sector.

Sanwo-Olu shared pictures from the event on his social media pages on Saturday, reiterating his commitment to creating an enabling environment for investment in creative spaces, infrastructure and skills to help artists develop their work into sustainable businesses and create jobs.

He also thanked Bolanle Austen-Peters, the convener of the festival, and other industry practitioners for pushing boundaries in the creative arts sector and contributing to the industry’s growth.

“The creative industry is an important part of our economy, and we will continue to create opportunities for it to grow and reach even greater heights,” he added.

The third edition of the festival is supported by the Lagos State Government and corporate partners, including Lekoil, Pillar Oil, Afreximbank and Amste.

LITF 2026 features more than 20 stage productions from Nigeria, Kenya, Canada, Brazil and Norway under the theme, “The Masks We Wear”. Earlier activities included Theatre Meets Food on November 9, Embassy Nights from November 10 to 11, Conversations and Culture masterclasses on November 12, and the opening night gala.

The festival’s main performance weekend runs from November 14 to 15, with the final performances scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 15, at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.