The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hon. Gabriel Saleh Zoch, has pledged to champion legislative reforms aimed at strengthening the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and advancing the sustainable development of the nation’s acting profession.
Hon. Zoch made the commitment while receiving the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi Yakubu, and members of the Guild’s leadership on a courtesy visit at the National Assembly in Abuja.
During the meeting, the Chairman assured the delegation of his readiness to support legislative initiatives that will institutionalise standard contractual frameworks for actors, enhance welfare and social protection, strengthen professional safeguards against exploitation, and promote structured capacity-building programmes to position Nigerian actors for greater competitiveness in the global creative marketplace.
He commended the Guild’s renewed drive towards professionalism, institutional reform, and industry development, noting that the creative sector remains a strategic pillar for national economic growth, cultural diplomacy, and youth empowerment.
A major highlight of the visit was the presentation of a Certificate of Nomination to Hon. Gabriel Saleh Zoch as a National Patron of the Actors Guild of Nigeria by the National President, Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi Yakubu.
Presenting the certificate, Alhaji Yakubu expressed profound appreciation to the lawmaker for graciously accepting the honour and for his commitment to supporting the Guild’s legislative agenda. He described the partnership as a significant milestone in the Guild’s ongoing efforts to build a more professional, globally competitive, and socially protected acting profession.
The AGN President also appealed for sustained collaboration with the National Assembly in enacting progressive legislation that will provide a robust legal framework for the protection, welfare, capacity development, and professional advancement of Nigerian actors.
The AGN delegation included the Guild’s Vice President, North Central, Nazareth Jesse Bako; Mayor of Abuja, Mercy Salma Salami; the President’s Spokesman, Benedict Johnson; and Queen Sera Bulus.
The visit underscores the Actors Guild of Nigeria’s commitment to forging strategic partnerships with key government institutions to advance policy reforms, strengthen the creative economy, and secure a sustainable future for practitioners across Nigeria’s film industry.