National Theatre ownership tops agenda as minister visits Lagos today

The possible commercialisation of the National Theatre, the melting pot of the country’s creative arts industry, built in 1976 in preparation for the African Festival of Arts and Culture hosted in 1977, will top the minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed’s agenda, as he visits Lagos today.

There have been heated arguments among industry stakeholders for and against the proposed commercialisation or full privatisation of the monument but the minister may still sustain his disposition for Public Private Partnership (PPP) on the Theatre, to add value to the complex.

When refurbished and fully operational, the theatre is expected to generate a substantial part of the over N1.2 trillion expected from the country’s tourism sector annually.

Already, the process of selecting the preferred bidder under the PPP arrangement is ongoing, but authoritative industry sources informed BusinessDay that they were not sure whether the minister would immediately announce the conclusion of the bidding process when he visits the Theatre today.

The names of bidding companies under the PPP process have also not been made public.

The minister who does not favour  the outright sale of the Theatre, recognises the edifice as a national monument and  tourist attraction which carries immense emotional capital, beyond business considerations.

He recently said that the government cannot allow the monument to become a hide-out for hoodlums, which it is tending towards, but for the presence of a police station and the efforts of some business concerns which have been operating food and beverage retail shops within the premises.

“This monument is the pride of the nation and it has always served as the point of convergence for Nigerians seeking fun and relaxation, especially during festive periods. It is a centre for the promotion of arts and culture,” Mohammed said in a report.

Late last year, the minister maintained that the monument would not be sold outright. Stakeholders in the entertainment industry had however kicked against handing over the monument to private operators on the excuse that it would dilute its role  as an entertainment hub.

Daniel Obi