Musawa Outlines Growth Strategy For Creative Economy

The newly appointed special advisor on Culture and Entertainment Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has highlighted the Nigerian government’s ambitious plan to bolster the country’s creative sector.

The strategy is aimed at transforming Nigeria into Africa’s creative, cultural, and entertainment capital, aligning with President Tinubu’s goal to double the national economy to $1 trillion within the next eight years.

Speaking during a closed-door briefing, Musawa emphasised that the current administration had a transformative agenda with a focus on the Nigerian people.

She said the upcoming developments in the creative space will reflect this approach by engaging and supporting the country’s vast talent pool, striving to build a vibrant sector on par with other global cultural capitals.

On Dubbed Destination 2030, she said the initiative aims to unify all the sectors in the space under a single vision: to position Nigeria as Africa’s creative, cultural, and entertainment capital.

She said the reach will be fully inclusive, from literature, music, and film to design, visual Arts, and heritage; everything will be in focus and appropriately deployed in promoting Nigeria’s cultural identity on a global stage.

According to Musawa, a thriving creative and cultural economy can act as a significant catalyst for growth and present an opportunity for Nigeria to leapfrog its current development trajectory.

Musawa said: “Nigeria sits at an inflexion point where our global cultural impact is at an all-time high, combined with a new progressive administration. The time is now to support the talent and institutions that power the cultural, entertainment and creative economy.

“Our aim is to turn things around and ensure that this is indeed the beginning of a sustainable long term revival. I am extremely excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.”

Implementing this plan, according to her, could enable the sector to become a substantial contributor to the country’s economic growth, leading to meaningful contributions to the national GDP and the creation of much-needed jobs for talented youth.

She said the significance of the creative economy, culture, and tourism is demonstrated by their contribution to global GDP, surpassing even that of oil and gas production, and making it an inspiring benchmark for Nigeria’s aspirations.

She said notable Nigerian artistes like Burnaboy, Asake, and Wizkid, along with curators such as Tokini Peterside and Nike Okundaye, and writers like Teju Cole and Helon Habila, had already been successfully exporting Nigeria’s vibrant culture to the world.

Musawa pointed out that Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, preserved in iconic museums like the Badagry Slave Museum, Gidan Makama Museums, JK Randle Centre, and Yemisi Shyllon Museum, offers a compelling narrative for global PR and marketing campaigns that a new media office will lead.

The special advisor highlighted the global popularity of Afrobeats and Nollywood, which have become integral parts of contemporary pop culture.