Starrays
By Our Correspondent (NASS).
The Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musawa, on Thursday, said that the nation’s creative Industry has the potential to contribute about $100 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030.
She made this statement after presenting the 2025 budget of the Ministry to the National Assembly Committee on Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, where she hinted that she had outlined an ambitious plan to transform Nigeria’s creative industry to be a major driver of the nation’s economy.She stressed the Ministry’s commitment to contributing $100 billion to the nation’s GDP by 2030 through targeted reforms, infrastructure development, and strategic partnerships, noting the sector’s potential to drive economic growth and create millions of jobs.Meanwhile, the lawmakers overwhelmingly backed her request for increased budgetary provision, to enable the Ministry to actualise its lofty objectives of becoming a major source of revenue for the country.Musawa highlighted the creative sector’s ability to transform the lives of young Nigerians, citing events like “Dirty December” in Lagos as proof of the industry’s capacity to contribute significantly to the Gross Domestic Product.In her words, “Every single part of Nigeria is bursting with creative talent. This is real estate for the country and the Ministry. So far, the Ministry has attracted funding from partners like Afrexim Bank, Big Win, and the UAE and Saudi governments.“In addition to the $100 billion GDP target, the ministry is working with Big Win to create two million jobs by 2027,” She stated. However, The Minister stressed the need for adequate government funding to realize these goals, noting that the current budget allocation has been inadequate.“The government has to come correct to give us the opportunity and ability to create an enabling environment for the sector’s growth,” she added.She expressed optimism that “the committee’s support will lead to expanded funding for the ministry.”Musawa highlighted the untapped potential of Nigeria’s creative sector, pointing out that, despite being home to world-renowned Afrobeat artists and the second-largest film industry globally, the country lacks critical infrastructure like arenas, museums, and cinemas.“We are losing value because we don’t have the infrastructure to support the growth of the industry,” she said, citing the absence of local venues for artists to perform and showcase their talents.She revealed further that the Ministry collaborated with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to benchmark successful models from countries like South Korea, Saudi Arabia, India, Japan, and China. These insights were localized to fit Nigeria’s unique context, pointing out that key areas of focus include overhauling legal and regulatory frameworks, fostering public-private partnerships (PPP), and revitalizing critical infrastructure like the National Theatre.The Minister as well, commended the role of the private sector, particularly the Bankers’ Committee, in refurbishing the National Theatre, which is now set to become a global landmark, saying, “There is no place in the world where you will see the kind of edifice that the National Theatre has become”. The Visionary Minister also stressed the need to develop Nigeria’s cultural and tourism assets, such as Yankari Game Reserve and Dashaka Hills, to attract global and local audiences. She called for collaboration with the National Assembly and state governments to enact supportive policies and create an enabling environment for growth.
