The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced ambitious plans to generate at least $100 billion annually and create over two million jobs from the country’s creative economy.
This bold initiative was unveiled by the Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, during a roundtable for local and international investors.
The minister laid out a strategic roadmap aimed at unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s creative industry, which currently contributes just $5 billion to the economy. The sector, encompassing music, film, visual arts, fashion, and more, has long been underutilized despite its vast potential.
Musawa revealed that the ministry has developed 14 key initiatives under four strategic pillars: Technology, Infrastructure and Funding, International Culture Promotion, and Intellectual Property Monetization. If fully implemented, these initiatives are expected to boost government revenue and create millions of jobs, placing Nigeria’s creative economy on the global map.
READ ALSO: FG launches N100 Million AI Fund to Boost Startup Innovation
Key plans include:
Technology: Launching a digital content creation tool accessibility program and expanding internet access to underserved regions.
Infrastructure and Funding: Developing creative infrastructure through public-private partnerships and launching a creative accelerator program to provide capital and capacity-building support.
International Culture Promotion: Establishing culture promotion offices in Nigerian embassies abroad and leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost creative exports.
Intellectual Property Monetization: Setting up globally recognized collection management organizations and enhancing copyright enforcement.
Musawa also announced a partnership with BigWin Philanthropy to deliver a transformative job creation strategy. The initiative aims to grow Nigeria’s creative economy by 400% by 2027, positioning the sector to contribute significantly more to the nation’s GDP and government revenue.
With Nigeria’s creative sector currently contributing only 1.2% to GDP, compared to higher percentages in other African countries, the government’s new plan seeks to reverse this trend and propel the industry to greater heights.
