The Nigerian government has initiated a groundbreaking strategy to enhance Nigeria’s creative sector, generating a minimum of $100 billion yearly and producing more than two million jobs. This courageous effort was disclosed by Hannatu Musa Musawa, the Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, during a recent roundtable discussion conducted in Lagos with investors. The strategy focuses on an eight-point approach aimed at greatly enhancing the nation’s creative industry, which has been largely overlooked in the past. During the briefing, Musawa highlighted that sector presently adds merely $5 billion to the Economy despite its immense potential.
She observed that the different areas within the industry, including music, visual arts, fashion, and publishing, are progressing at distinct rates, creating both challenges and potential for expansion. Musawa presented an eight-point strategy crafted by her department. This approach features the “Nigeria Destination 2023” program, which seeks to integrate the arts, culture, and creative industries with a common purpose. Additional crucial elements consist of creating policy frameworks, enhancing governance strategies, fostering public-private collaborations, setting GDP growth objectives, optimizing business conditions, and safeguarding cultural heritage.
Public-private partnerships will draw in investments and benefits.
Although there are encouraging proposals, Nigeria’s sector remains behind other African nations regarding its GDP contribution. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, In 2022, this industry accounted for just 1.2% of the country’s GDP, whereas Morocco achieved 2.7%, South Africa reached 3%, and Egypt stood at 4.3%. Additionally, the sector’s capacity to produce Government Revenue is minimal, at 1%, significantly lower than South Africa’s 12.5%. To reach this objective, the ministry has recognized 14 essential projects categorized into four main areas: technology, funding and infrastructure, global cultural advancement, and monetization of intellectual property.
Also, the Technology category features a plan designed to offer Nigerian artists affordable tools for digital content creation, along with efforts to enhance internet connectivity in less served areas. According to Musawa, these actions will facilitate the growth of digital content production and sharing across the country. The blueprint emphasizes the importance of Infrastructure and financial initiatives as the ministry seeks to assess and enhance the current systems within the sector. By utilizing public-private partnerships, the strategy aims to draw in investments and create financial benefits for participants alongside an accelerator program designed to provide funding and development resources to creative enterprises.
Nigeria’s creative sector could expand by 400% by 2027.
Regarding the promotion of Culture on an international level, the ministry intends to work alongside Nigerian embassies globally to showcase the nation’s artistic and Cultural Heritage across the globe. Also, the administration aims to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) to enhance the Export of Nigeria’s creative products both regionally and internationally. In terms of monetizing intellectual property (IP), Musawa presented a strategy to create internationally acknowledged Collection Management Organizations (CMOs) specifically for the creative industry. This initiative aims to safeguard the rights of creators, ensuring fair remuneration for their efforts.
Additionally, the ministry plans to collaborate with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on a Copyright Oversight Initiative designed to improve the oversight and enforcement of copyright regulations. Musawa concluded by emphasizing that Nigeria’s creative sector could expand by 400% by 2027. To achieve this objective, the ministry has introduced various significant programs, such as the Creative Leap Acceleration Program, CultRise, which focuses on infrastructure enhancement, and Origins, a data collection and administration project. The infrastructure project also featured the Renewed Hope Creative City at the Wole Soyinka Centre, the Digital & Immersive Art Centre, and creative hubs in the country’s 36 states. They’ve also partnered with BigWin Philanthropy to build capacity and develop an employment strategy.
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This collaboration supports the government’s broader goals of strengthening the sector to create income and offer chances for countless Nigerians. The panel discussion at the roundtable event included significant representatives from the ministry, such as Obi Azika, the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, and Aliyu Nuhu, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation. They emphasized these initiatives’ significance and ability to reshape environment positively. If executed effectively, this strategic method could elevate the sector to an international spotlight, offering a significant economic uplift while encouraging Innovation and generating employment for upcoming generations.