$36bn Generated Annually Through Africa’s Creative Industry — UN Agencies

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) have disclosed that Africa’s creative industry generates over $36 billion annually, serving as a major driver for youth empowerment and sustainable development across the continent.

The UN agencies emphasised the need to empower young people through creativity, innovation, and awareness of intellectual property (IP) rights as tools for peacebuilding and social transformation.

This was revealed yesterday in Abuja during the closing ceremony of the 9th Abuja International Photo Festival, which featured young photographers and filmmakers under the theme “Creativity for Resilience, Empowerment and Transformative Engagement.”

The UNODC Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Cheikh Touré, explained that the organisation’s mandate which includes anti-corruption, drug control, cybercrime, and organised crime conventions—now adopts a youth-centred approach to ensure long-term societal impact.

“Africa’s time is now. But when you look closely, our greatest potential lies with the youth,” he said. “It is important not to design programmes for them, but with them. The saying ‘Not for us, without us’ must guide every development effort.”

Also speaking at the event, Mr. Oluwatobiloba Moody, Head of WIPO in Nigeria, encouraged young creatives to acquire knowledge of intellectual property laws to safeguard their work and benefit financially.

“When you create something whether a photograph, a film, or a song you automatically own rights over that work,” he explained. “These include moral rights, which ensure you are credited and your work is not altered, and economic rights, which allow you to earn from your creations.”

He added that these rights last throughout the creator’s life and 70 years after death, noting that understanding them enables young people to make informed business decisions.

In his closing remarks, the convener and founder of the Abuja International Photo Festival, Mr. Efe Osaze, described photography as a universal language that transcends borders and biases, with the power to connect people and inspire conversations that lead to positive change.

He expressed satisfaction with the success of this year’s edition, describing it as “a wonderful three days of engagement, panel sessions, workshops, and exhibitions.”

“Over the past three days, we have engaged with artists, photographers, and filmmakers from Nigeria, Africa, and other parts of the world to examine how imagery can help make the world a better place,” he said.

“Everything we have done in the past few days has been a rallying call to young people to use their creativity and imagery to hold the government accountable and to engage governance stakeholders.”

Osaze emphasised the festival’s focus on addressing social issues such as crime, drug abuse, and misinformation, stressing that while these challenges may not be completely eradicated, visual storytelling can play a vital role in reducing them.