Government plans to establish Creative Economy Advisory Council to support economic growth

Hannatu Musawa, minister for Art, Culture and Creative Economy has said that her ministry plans to establish Creative Economy Advisory Council that will provide high-level strategic support for the growth of Nigeria’s economy.

Outlining an eight- point agenda for the contribution of creative economy to the growth of the economy while addressing creative Industries and other stakeholders recently, she said her ministry will work closely with departments, agencies and all other stakeholders to deliver on their vision.

Our team is developing a comprehensive and effective strategy for the arts, culture, and creative economy. Within this strategy, we will clearly outline our objectives, targets, and actions for sectoral growth and development.

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According to her, implementation of the comprehensive and effective strategy for the arts, culture, and creative economy under works will be underpinned by a cohesive governance structure that will foster collaboration among government agencies, private sector entities, academia, and artists to drive the growth of the creative ecosystem.

While stating that a strong creative and cultural economy is a key driver of growth and presents an opportunity to accelerate Nigeria’s development on a local and a global stage, she explained that creative economy as an economy of ideas, an economy of innovation, and an economy of invention in the digital age.

Among the eight point agenda is Nigeria Destination 2030 which is a national initiative designed to grow the arts, culture and creative economy under one united vision.

’’Nigeria Destination 2030 is a manifesto, a mission and a vision to become Africa’s creative capital. Most importantly, it’s a promise to deliver more jobs, more inbound visitors, and more local opportunities that will enhance the development of all creative sectors’’.

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She said skills development will be prioritised through comprehensive training programs to ensure all professionals within the economy are well-prepared to excel in their respective fields

Among ministry’s targets is the ambition to elevate the Nigerian industries, comprising Art, Culture and Creative industries to rank among the top 20 globally in terms of GDP contribution, wealth creation, employment, and poverty reduction in line with the agenda 2050, she said.

“Through innovative strategies, technological integration, and enhanced market access, our target is to increase the value of sectoral outputs by 50% in line with the 2021 to 2025 national development plan”.

She said cultural heritage preservation and sustainability are crucial to the ministry’s agenda. “We must make every effort to safeguard Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage while fostering tourism and economic growth.

“This involves implementing initiatives to preserve and celebrate our cultural heritage while ensuring its longevity for future generations”.