The FCT chapter of the Performing Musicians and Artists Association of Nigeria (PMAN) has appealed to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for support to establish a functional secretariat in Abuja. Acting FCT chairman Michael Oyibo made the appeal at a news conference on Friday, stating that the lack of a permanent office has hampered administrative effectiveness. He said the proposed secretariat would serve as an administrative base, training centre, and welfare hub for musicians in the territory. "A union without a base is a union without direction," Mr Oyibo said, adding that PMAN's activities contribute significantly to youth engagement and economic development.
PMAN FCT also unveiled a plan to train and empower 3,000 youths in instrumental performance, music production, live band professionalism, and music business. Mr Oyibo highlighted a recent audition where 99.9 per cent of applicants were singers, exposing a critical shortage of skilled instrumentalists like keyboardists and saxophonists. He said partnerships with music academies and private investors would help position Abuja as Nigeria's hub for live music excellence. The union also plans to enforce minimum performance pay by negotiating with hotels, event organisers, and promoters. A task force will ensure compliance with industry standards and proper recognition of PMAN. Additionally, the union is digitising membership through a new registration system and ID database, though its congress has been postponed for better planning.
Michael Oyibo is asking Nyesom Wike for a building, but the real deficit is not bricks and mortar—it's enforceable influence. PMAN's push for a secretariat and youth training is long overdue, yet past promises from similar bodies have collapsed without real leverage over event organisers or government. If this union cannot make its pay benchmarks mandatory rather than aspirational, the 3,000-youth plan will be another roster without results. Musicians still play for exposure while hotels profit—visibility means nothing without power.
