Jos Theatre Festival returns as Spain joins forces for 17th edition

By Damiete Braide

The Jos Repertory Theatre (JRT) is set to stage the 17th Jos International Festival of Theatre from October 7 to 10, 2026, with the support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), Spain, and the Embassy of Spain in Nigeria.

The festival, which will take place at the premises of Alliance Française in Jos, Plateau State, is expected to bring together theatre practitioners, performers, directors and audiences for four days of drama, creative exchange and intellectual engagement.

Four plays have been selected for the festival, alongside a series of workshops and seminars designed to deepen conversations around theatre and its role in society. The featured productions are Osasogie Efe Guobadia’s new play, Woven Veil; Jerry Alagbaoso’s The Widow’s Tale; Denja Abdullahi’s Chants in a Cemetery; and Federico García Lorca’s The Shoemaker’s Wonderful Wife.

The 2026 edition also marks another chapter in JRT’s longstanding relationship with the Embassy of Spain. The Jos-based theatre organisation has collaborated with the embassy for 11 years to introduce Spanish plays to audiences across Northern Nigeria.

One of the most notable productions from the partnership was Federico García Lorca’s Yerma, adapted by the late Biyi Bandele to reflect a Northern Nigerian setting based in Kafanchan. The production was subsequently staged in several cities across Northern Nigeria, including Jos, further strengthening cultural connections between Spain and Nigeria through theatre.

For the first time, AECID Spain is joining the festival’s growing list of supporters, providing fresh impetus for the continuation of the annual event. JRT said the development was particularly significant because the organisation had feared that the 16th edition could mark the end of the festival amid the difficult conditions confronting the theatre sector.

However, the renewed support from AECID and the Embassy of Spain has given the festival a new lease of life. With the selection of plays completed and rehearsals already underway, JRT expressed optimism that the 2026 edition will create memorable experiences, inspire audiences and generate new perspectives through the transformative power of theatre.

The organisation also expressed hope that its partnership with AECID would become enduring while its longstanding collaboration with the Embassy of Spain continues to flourish.