Art X Lagos: Empowerment is the cornerstone of progress – Access Bank CEO

The Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank, Roosevelt Ogbonna, has assured of the bank’s support to boost the art ecosystem in Africa, describing empowerment as the bedrock for development.

He stated this during the Access ART X Prize Alumni Impact Award, appreciating past winners who have remained consistent using art to drive societal changes, saying their contributions could not be underestimated.

“At Access, we believe empowerment is the cornerstone of progress, and this belief extends well beyond the financial sector. By supporting ART X Lagos and initiatives like the Access ART X Prize, we seek to cultivate an enduring, dynamic art ecosystem across Africa, where creativity thrives, and cultural impact is amplified.

“This year, through the special Alumni Impact Award, we celebrate not only the outstanding achievements of past Access ART X Prize winners but also their dedication to bringing African narratives to the forefront of global conversations,” he added.

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The founder, ART X Lagos, Tokini Peterside-Schwebig said the award embodies the pledge to supporting artists at every stage of their careers.

“By celebrating our past winners and recognizing their continued growth, we reaffirm ART X Lagos’ dedication to driving innovation, social engagement, and long-term impact within the African art community. Our hope is to inspire the next generation to pursue their creative journeys with the same passion and resilience,” she said.

This year’s Alumni Impact Award was presented to Etinosa Yvonne, an artist whose work reflects boldness, creativity, and dedication to social discourse.

She appreciated the organisers, saying Nigerian creative economy remains largely untapped.

“I am pleased to be the recipient of the Access ART X Prize Alumni Impact Award. The award shows that Access Holdings and ART X are genuinely interested and deeply committed to contributing and sustaining the growth and development of artists at any stage of their career.

“I strongly believe that this award will inspire and encourage public and private institutions in Nigeria to be more intentional about investing, participating and promoting not just Nigerian arts but Nigerian artists in order to bolster our creative economy,” she said.