House Adopts Peller’s Motion on Need for FG to Strengthen Creative Industry

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

The House of Representatives has unanimously adopted a motion moved  by a member representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa federal constituency, Hon. Shina Peller, on the urgent need for the federal government to strengthen the creative industry in the country.

Peller, while presenting the motion on the floor of the House, observed that the current economic values of the Nigerian creative industry provides a veritable incremental source of employment, revenue and growth necessary for the diversification of the country’s economy from dependency on oil revenues.

The Oke Ogun-born lawmaker who quoted the United Nation’s report (2011), said globally the creative industry has become a driver of employment, economic growth, innovation and social cohesion.

Peller maintained that with available data from Nigeria’s film sector, Nollywood is one of the most lucrative and active creative industries which contributes about two per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) generating annual revenue of N208 billion.  

Similarly, he stated that the film industry alone offers legitimate employment to over one million people making the sector the second largest employer after agriculture, adding that there is need to implement policies that will enhance the capacity of such an industry.

Furthermore, he stressed that the Nigerian music sector is another creative industry which must be strengthened to aid the country’s economic growth, stating that it produces over 550 albums annually.

He listed the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu (Burna Boy), David Adedeji Adeleke (Davido) and others as major actors in the Nigerian music industry who made and are making the country proud globally with their record-breaking feats.

The motion read in part, “At the global level, the late Afrobeat creator, Fela Anikulapo-kuti is perhaps the most iconic musician to have come out of Nigeria until recently when Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu (Burna Boy) a Nigerian singer and songwriter won best international act at the 2019 BET Awards and was also nominated for the best world music Album at 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. He also won Best International act at the 2021 BET Awards. 

“Recently, top Nigerian Artist Davido’s album titled ‘Timeless’ has featured over 10 million user-generated playlists on Spotify. Also the album had over 12 million streams in 24 hours, this was the first time an album would achieve such a feat.”

However he noted with regret that in spite of its great economic value, the Nigerian creative industry is challenged by lack of coherent policies that established clear objectives and strategies for the industry to thrive.

He added that the Nigerian creative industry needs support structures in the areas of skills and capacity development, access to finance, infrastructure, intellectual property protection, development of creative clusters and international strategy, among others. 

Peller then prayed that the House should urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to as a matter of urgency implement policies that will enhance the capacity of the country’s creative industries as major revenue earners.

Secondly, he prayed that the House urges the Minister of Information and Culture as a matter of priority to create and execute policies to strengthen the creative industries.

Thirdly, he prayed that the House implores the federal government to do more in the area of royalty control and piracy.

Fourthly, he prayed that the federal government and National Assembly should ensure the increase in the budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Information and Culture in the 2024 Appropriation Act for optimal performance.

The lawmaker similarly prayed that the Ministry of Information and Culture should organise a creative industry summit whereby the challenges and prospects of its industry can be brought to the forefront.

The House, after discussing the motion at length, unanimously applauded it, granted all the prayers and passed it to the relevant committees for further legislative actions.