Investors urged to consider creative, culture industry as viable frontier for nation’s development

The local and international investors have been urged to consider the creative and culture industry in Nigeria as a viable economic frontier that would drive prosperity for the nation.

Former Minister of Information and culture, Lai Mohammed stated this while speaking at the 10th Pan African Music Fashion Runway #MFR and Game Changer Africa Acknowledgement #GCCAA awards’’ which held in Lagos under the theme, ‘Reflections and future horizons: leveraging collaborative and sustainability practices to enable and protect the future development of creative ecosystems.’.

Lai Mohammed who is also the Special Advisor to the Secretary General UN World Tourism Organisation, stressed the need for the building of sufficient purpose-built event centers, concert halls, and convention facilities, adding that failure to invest in such areas would export jobs and revenue as well as hinder chance to create wealth opportunities for Nigerians.

The former minister recalled that in 2016 alone, Nigeria hosted 1.9 million events, averaging 150,000 events monthly and 5,000 daily adding, “yet, we still lack sufficient purpose-built event centers, concert halls, and convention facilities to support this booming market. The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) industry is a multi-billion-dollar global sector.

“Yet Nigeria, with its vast population and cultural diversity, has barely tapped into 2 percent of this market. Countries like Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa are far ahead in leveraging this industry for economic growth.

“Similarly, consider our globally celebrated music stars such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, and Tiwa Savage, who regularly perform to sold-out crowds in international arenas like London’s O2 Arena. These venues, often with capacities exceeding 20,000, highlight a glaring gap in our local infrastructure.’’

Read also: Nigerian creative industry can create 2.7 million jobs, says stakeholders

While commending the contributions of the music and fashion industries towards the nation’s economic development, he affirmed there were sectors within the creative industry that had not received adequate recognition.

These sectors he said included; hospitality, events, and tourism; writing, printing, and publishing; art, design, and photography and; hair and beauty.

Speaking earlier Managing director of NMO Management Limited, the organisers of the Pan African Music Fashion Runway #MFR and Game Changer Africa Acknowledgement #GCCAA awards,’’ Ngozi Omambala said that the annual event which attracts both local and international designers serves as a cultural platform which celebrates and showcases cultural heritage, Pan African fashion design and creative contemporary innovation.

According to Omambala who is also the chairperson of the Creative and Entertainment group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the Game Changer Acknowledgement award recognises the significant contribution trailblazers and pioneers have made in the development of the creative industry across the continent of Africa and beyond.

In her words: “prolific and iconic pioneers in the creative industries are honoured and recognised as ‘’game changers ‘within the African narrative.’’

Designers that showcased their designs during the show include; Oneney; Simeni; Modela; Madam Nike; TJB, Blackadudu, among others.

One of the highlights of the event was an award given to both Nigerians and foreigners who have contributed greatly to the development of the creative and entertainment sectors across Africa.

One of the awardees, Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome (aka Ali Baba) lauded the organisers of the event for their contribution towards the development of the creative and entertainment sector in the country.