Our priority for 2020 is to commercialise the creative industry, Nigerian govt says

The Federal Government has said that one of its priorities in 2020 would be successful commercialisation of the creative industry.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who stated this in Lagos on Sunday, at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), added that the Federal Government would remove all impediments to the growth of the creative industry to encourage the growth of the sector.

The minister said, “As we head into 2020, the successful commercialization of the Creative industry is our number 1 priority. It will create jobs, reduce crime, be a major source of foreign exchange and thereby reduce our dependence on oil, rebrand our country internationally and boost our GDP.

“So, we in government are tackling all impediments to the industry thriving. We are making cheaper and longer-term financing available for the industry, especially for infrastructural projects, like concert halls across the six geo-political zones of the country, as recently announced by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

Alhaji Mohammed said the government was providing necessary framework through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to ensure that listeners of music pay for it.

In addition, he said internet data must be cheaper and owners of content must make more money from the use of their works.

“The other big issue for commercialization is the digital economy -data must be cheaper and owners of content must make more money from the use of their works. I am sure you have been following the announcements by my colleague, the Minister of Communications, on this,” he said.

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The minister also said that the government was cleaning up the advertising industry and making sure proper measurement of content exist and are collated, stressing that this measure had the potential to add at least N50 billion annually to the creative sector.

In his remarks, the executive producer of AFRIMA, Mr. Mike Dada, said the organization was using culture and art as a platform to change the narratives of unemployment, extreme poverty and homelessness on the continent.

He commended the Minister for providing the needed support, which enabled them to successfully host this year’s AFRIMA

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