BY OCHE OBANDE
ABUJA – Stakeholders from various sectors of the country urged the federal government of Nigeria to prioritize Creative Economy funding to boost the sector’s expansion for economic growth.
The call was made during the National Council for Arts and Culture’s two-day Culture and Creative Economy Summit (CCES) held in Abuja with the theme “Harnessing the Power of Creativity for Economic Growth”.
The rebranded and expanded summit was formerly known as the National Pre-summit for the National Festival for Arts and Culture and the International Arts and Crafts Expo, which are two of the flagship programs of the council, and this was the 54th gathering but the first of this nature with the new format and brand.
The Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, who spoke at a fireside chat, introduced the Renaissance Project, a comprehensive initiative aimed at revitalizing the creative economy across all states.
She outlined her strategy for securing funding at every stage, emphasizing the need for increased investment in the sector. She also invited all the states to contribute to the master document before it is submitted to the State Governors through the National Economic Council.
The Renaissance Project is a focused project from the Minister’s office that is specifically focused on core initiatives that activate all the sub-nationals of Nigeria.
According to her; “With proper investment, the creative sector has the potential to surpass oil as the primary driver of the nation’s economy,” she said.
She pledged her commitment to making the cultural sector profitable and a significant contributor to the nation’s GDP.
The summit brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, private sector representatives, and international partners, and deliberated on strategies for promoting the culture and creative economy sector.
Participants acknowledged the sector’s potential to heal and bond the nation, create jobs, and drive local and global opportunities.
Presentations made were focused on several new initiatives, including the Minister’s Renaissance Project and the Creative Leap Accelerator launched in July for the Creative industries; this initiative is aligned closely with ICE, the NCAC capacity-building platform and network of national hubs in partnership with the ISN Hubs.
The summit brought together key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Bank of Industry, IDICE, IFC, and state commissioners, permanent secretaries, and directors of state councils for Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy.
