Economy: Stakeholders review Creative Industry Development Bill

As part of efforts to explore the non oil sector and promote the country’s economy growth, stakeholders in the creative industry gathered in Abuja on Wednesday to review the 2023
Creative Industry Development Bill (CIDB).

The Creative Industry Development Bill project is a collaborative effort between Nigeria’s creative industry and the Presidency to transform the Nigerian creative space through regulation and an executable action plan. The Bill aims to build a vibrant, enabling creative space for Nigerian creatives.

Speaking at the gathering, the CIDB lead who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Country Risk Assessment and Evaluation, Col. Felix Orevoghene Alaita emphasized that the creative sector in the country deserves all the needed support to thrive.

He said the project which is led by the Ministry of Information and Culture is adopting a whole-of-nation and a leave-no-one-behind approach towards achieving the goal of transforming the country’s creative economy.

Col. Alaita said CIDB is forcused on putting creatives first via funding, incentives, research, skills and training.

He expressed optimism that the CIDB will promote the recognition of Nigeria creatives, create of jobs as well as boost the economy.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in his remarks, said the bill is key to transforming Nigeria’s creative space into creative economies like countries like the UAE and Dubai.

The Minister who was represented by the Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, also assured that the gap between the creative sector and the government will be bridged inorder achieve the desired results. He explained that by bridging the gap, government will be addressing various challenges encountered by the creative industries.

The Minister urged creatives to work with the existing agencies of government. He stressed that there is no need creating another agency in the sector as there are already so many agencies carrying out similar roles.

Director General, Budget Office of the Federation,Dr Ben Akabueze urged that the bill be thoroughly reviewed to sync with the existing regulation and laws of the country.

On his part, the Director General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Folorunsho Coker stated that the bill is key to transforming the creative sector but requires the already designed policies and existing laws that speak to the sector.

He further assured that his agency will collaborate with other stakeholders in the creative ecosystem to produce a bill that put the creative first.