BY SUNDAY AKINTOYE
The Embassy of France in Nigeria today announced the launch of the Art X Impact Campaign to celebrate International Women’s Day 2026. This is a hybrid artistic celebration of women’s rights across 16 states in Nigeria.
The Embassy, in a statement, says the campaign, based on the collaboration between local artists, civil society organisations and local influencers, resulted in the production of paintings, songs, sculptures, murals, and dance, conveying messages of sensitisation on gender equality.
As the campaign progresses, the Embassy says there will be an exhibition of the resilient stories and portraits of women taking part in empowering projects, which will be displayed across the 10 French Alliances in Nigeria.
This campaign is the result of the success of the French Embassy Fund for Civil Society Organisation (FEC-OSC) Programme, a flagship initiative dedicated to promoting gender equality and the economic empowerment of women and girls across Nigeria.
Launched as part of France’s feminist diplomacy, the FEF-OSC is an achievement showing the power of co-construction and local ownership, demonstrating that community-driven solutions yield high impact and extraordinary social returns.
The FEF-OSC programme, designed in close partnership with Nigerian Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs, has supported 21 projects across 16 states in the country. These projects address critical areas including economic empowerment, climate resilience, peacebuilding, and gender-based violence prevention.
“Today, I am working towards becoming a software engineer who creates second chances, a woman empowering other women,” said Achi Rebecca, a beneficiary of the She Elevates Tech by the Hopesalive Initiative for Africa (HAI).
Another beneficiary of the HEAR project by HUFFPED, Adeleye Balikis Arike, said: “Reflecting on the training, I can truly say it was an eye-opener. I finally understood how to manage my money and be accountable.”
The FEF-OSC programme reflects France’s foreign policy, prioritising a partnership model, rooted in mutual benefit and co-construction. By placing local leadership and the rights of women and girls at the heart of its policies, France aligns its actions with the vision of Nigerian CSOs and broader African priorities, such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063.