The Federal Government of Nigeria launched the Creative Leap Acceleration Programme (CLAP) yesterday in Abuja. The programme aims to position Nigeria as a global hub for arts, culture, and creatives, and it is expected to contribute about $100 billion towards increasing the country’s GDP.
Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, who launched the programme, said the initiative driven by the ministry marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards harnessing the boundless potentials of our creative minds.
The minister disclosed that CLAP is designed to foster an environment where talents can thrive and new ideas and industries can emerge and flourish with comprehensive training, mentorship and resources aimed to empower creative minds to excel and innovate.
“Our vision to the destination 2030 is to position Nigeria as a global hub of arts, culture and the creative, contributing about 100 billion dollars to increase our GDP. This represents a 20 fold increase from the current state and it is a testament to our unwavering commitment to the creative economy.
“Our goals and objectives for CLAP are three folds: capacity building, incubation and innovation, collaboration and partnerships. We are establishing creative clusters and centers of excellence that will strive to incubate us to new ideas and enterprises. Strategic partnerships with renowned organizations such Afri-Exim Bank, Google and others to provide a wider range of resources, expertise and opportunities to our creatives,” she said.
She added that CLAP will synergize seamlessly with the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC)’s innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship project, which has a private management model. This will help effectively address local challenges and harness each region’s unique culture and strength.
On his part, the director general of NCAC, Mr Obi Asika said the council’s partnership with the ministry on CLAP comes with key components like the Innovative Creativity Entrepreneurship (ICE) and Origins which has the ability to reach physical locations from where one can build a larger network.
“The CLAP Platform is a vibrant digital ecosystem designed to connect creatives, businesses, and investors globally. It will facilitate Learning and e-Learning, Incubation and Acceleration, Networking Opportunities, Collaborations and Partnerships, Access to Digital Tools and Equipment, Market and Business Opportunities, and Career Development,” he added.
“In line with the CLAP mantra ‘Leaving no one behind’; the platform aims to aggregate resources and source partnerships with a broad range of organizations, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the creative space. The Ministry will channel resources through ICE, providing extensive development support and services,” he said.
He noted that the Creative Leap Acceleration Programme represents a transformative step towards realising the full potential of Nigeria’s creative industries.
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