To address the various challenges facing the country, the Nigerian Government has been urged to leverage on the potentials in the creative industry rather than depending solely on oil.
The Global President of the Theater Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners of Nigeria, TAMPAN, Bolaji Amusan, stated that the sector currently employs about 4.2 million people in Nigeria and has been projected to create an additional 2.7 million jobs within the next 4–5 years if well invested in.
He added that through its promotion of local talent, the industry in 2023 accounted for roughly N154 billion of Nigeria’s GDP.
He stated this during a press conference held in Abeokuta, to herald the association’s national conference tagged ‘EKO 2025’, with the theme ‘Maximizing the Potentials of Arts and Creativity’.
Amusan advised the government to give uninhibited support for the creative industry, citing London, America, and India as examples.
“If you go to London, India and America, they are, I can call them grandfathers in film production and creative industry. Most of these people, perform arts free, and the government focuses so well on the development of the creative industry.
“The only way we can do that is to get that uninhibited support from the government.
“In Nigeria, let’s take Ogun State, Lagos State, for example, we have just less than two to three film villages. If the government invested heavily in film villages and the equipment being used to produce films, it would reduce the stress and hardship being faced by the creative people to produce their products, produce their movies, and do a lot of things that will enhance their own life.
“The creative industries, including film, music, fashion, visual arts, and digital media can contribute significantly to economic diversification, by promoting local talents and creative exports, these industries can generate income and create jobs.
“The creative sector currently employs about 4.2 million people in Nigeria. It has however been projected that the creative sector could create an additional 2.7 million jobs within the next 4–5 years if its potentials are properly annexed.
“Previous diagnoses have identified our long dependence on oil economy as the bane of the slow growth and development of our nation. It is an over-statement therefore, to say that Nigeria’s dependency on oil exports has led to vulnerability to global oil price fluctuations and hindered the growth of other sectors,” he said.