On 25 June 2026, BellaNaija held the Next Gen Creator House in Lagos, a full-day workshop for Nigerian creators aged 18 to 25, in partnership with Google Gemini. The event brought together emerging creators and industry figures for hands-on training in content creation, storytelling, personal branding, audience growth, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. Attendees participated in workshops, mentorship sessions, creator challenges, and live Google Gemini demonstrations. Featured speakers included Toke Makinwa, Tosin Ajibade, Uzoamaka Power, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Enioluwa Adeoluwa, Korty EO, and Abisola Alawode. Toke Makinwa urged creators to pursue success relentlessly, even through unconventional paths. Enioluwa Adeoluwa stressed treating content creation as a profession, advising structured work hours and teams where possible, saying, "You should provide structure around what you do, have your work hours, and team if you can afford it. Above all, create." Korty EO emphasized curiosity in interviews, stating, "Be interested in your guests, be curious about them and their journeys, that is the only way you can have great conversations with them." Tosin Ajibade advised creators to "Follow the trend but evolve while at it." Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade encouraged data-driven decisions, while Uzoamaka Power advocated for authenticity over imitation. Abisola Alawode noted that creators can thrive within organizations without being entrepreneurs. Oluwadunsin Sanya, BellaNaija's Head of Editorial and Innovation, reflected on 20 years of storytelling, urging creators to avoid sensationalism, saying, "The stories you tell today are the stories we'll become tomorrow." Mary Edoro, Chief of Staff and Head of Strategy at BellaNaija, described the event as a deliberate effort to invest in young creators, stating, "This wasn't just a conference about young creators. It is a space we have intentionally built for them, with the tools, mentorship, and access to actually build something real for Africa's future."
The event positioned young creators as central to Nigeria's cultural future while relying on a foreign tech product as a core tool. Google Gemini's integration into creative training raises questions about dependency on unverified external technologies. If Nigerian storytelling is to shape the nation's tomorrow, the tools used should be as locally grounded as the narratives they aim to amplify. This partnership, while ambitious, leans heavily on a platform whose capabilities and ownership remain outside African control.
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