First Bank of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the arts and entertainment industry in Nigeria with its latest sponsorship of the YouTube series “A Heart on the Line”.
Nigeria’s movie, music, and entertainment industries is said to have grown by 27.46 per cent in the last three years to N1. 97 trillion in 2023 from N1. 55 trillion in 2020.
At the premier of the ‘A Heart in the Line’ last weekend in Lagos, Olusegun Alebiosu, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of First Bank Nigeria, represented by Idowu Thompson, Group Executive, Private Banking and Wealth Management explained that the bank’s involvement in the project is part of its efforts to promote Nigerian arts and culture.
“A Heart in the Line” is a thought-provoking movie that explores themes of love, family, and resilience. It also discovers the true meaning of love, family, and sacrifice.
Thompson explained that First Bank’s support for the arts goes beyond sponsorship, as it seeks to promote Nigerian culture and creativity globally.
Group Executive, Private Banking and Wealth Management also noted that the bank’s involvement in the project is also aimed at reaching out to younger generations and promoting a meeting of minds between the old and the new.
He said over the years, the bank has been deliberate in supporting the creative industry, a developing sector with enormous potentials to provide solutions to unemployment and ensure economic growth.
Read also: SME Scale Up Partners First Bank to Drive Success for Businesses
“Through First@Arts initiative, we have consistently supported initiatives that preserve the legacy of arts, culture and we also promote several activities that engender unity, education and entertainment which are major dividends of the creative industry”, he said.
The series for “A Heart in the Line” is available on YouTube, and Thompson hinted that it may be distributed on other platforms in the future.
When asked about the bank’s motivation for supporting the arts, Thompson explained that the arts and entertainment industry is a significant contributor to the Nigerian economy, with the film industry alone contributing significantly to the GDP.
Recently, First Bank sponsored International Theatre Festival where four countries – Nigeria, USA, South Africa and Zambia and various groups across the globe participated
The festival, an initiative of Bolanle Austen Peters and sponsored by First Bank of Nigeria and other brands in partnership with Lagos State government took the shape of Festac 77 cultural exhibition.
The festival also showcased Nigerian culture and creativity through diverse performances, production and artistic expression, highlighting the country’s cultural heritage and creative talent .
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