The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has pledged to strengthen the welfare, capacity building and professional development of actors in the country.
Mr Cornelius Udofia, Director of Communications, AGN, Lagos Chapter, made this known during the 2026 International Actors Day celebration at the National Stadium, Lagos on Wednesday.
Udofia said the celebration, activated by the guild’s National President, Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi, was designed to showcase the creative abilities of actors and honour veterans who had contributed to the growth of the profession.
He said the activities included a road walk, environmental sanitation, traffic control, visits to orphanages, talent showcases and a general meeting.
“Above all, we are going to celebrate our elders who have served the guild with dedication, consistency and all their lives. We are going to tell them today, thank you,” he said.
Udofia said the guild would also organise more capacity-building programmes, produce its own movie and continue its actors’ night initiative.
He added that health checks would be conducted for members to identify health challenges that the guild could assist with.
According to him, the guild’s efforts are aimed at building a stronger and more united professional body.
Speaking on the significance of the celebration, veteran actor Segun Arinze described the actor as a storyteller and a mirror of society.
Arinze said actors had contributed to society by bringing entertainment to millions of homes and using their craft to communicate important messages.
“The actor is the mirror of society. Actors have brought joy to millions of homes and helped to propagate messages, including government and organisational messages,” he said.
He said the welfare of actors should cover areas such as healthcare, insurance and housing, stressing that both the guild and individual actors had roles to play in improving their wellbeing.
Arinze also urged actors to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their careers despite misconceptions about the profession.
He identified the proliferation of social media as one of the challenges facing professional acting, noting that many people now described themselves as actors or influencers without adequate understanding of the profession.
Also speaking, Nollywood actress Cassandra Odita said she had spent 18 years in the industry and described acting as her passion and calling.
Odita urged the industry to properly educate and prepare teenagers seeking to enter acting, saying this would help them understand the demands and responsibilities of the profession.
She said young actors should be equipped with education, good communication skills and appropriate behavioural standards.
Odita also disclosed that she was a content creator and engaged in tailoring, including training other people in the skill.
Another actor, Hakeem Rahman, said the celebration would provide an opportunity for actors to strengthen their relationships and address issues affecting members.
Rahman said the guild would continue to visit members facing difficulties and assess their health and welfare needs. Reports shows that the International Actors Day celebration was held under the theme, “Beyond the Screen: Impacting Communities, Transforming Lives.”
Activities at the event included a visit and donation to Hearts Gold Children’s Hospice, road walk and environmental sanitation.
