Stakeholders at the second QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit have called for stronger institutional structures, increased access to finance, skills development and improved intellectual property protection to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s creative economy.
The call was made at the summit, organised by Mighty Media Plus Network Limited, publishers of QEDNG, in Lagos under the theme “Creativity, Culture and Nigeria’s Next Chapter.” The gathering brought together filmmakers, music executives, content creators, journalists, business leaders, government representatives and other industry stakeholders to examine the foundations required to build a sustainable and globally competitive creative sector.
Opening the summit, QEDNG Publisher and Convener, Olumide Iyanda, said Nigeria’s abundance of creative talent was not enough to guarantee sustainable success, citing institutional and structural barriers that prevent many creatives from reaching their full potential.
“I have been around this industry long enough to see talent sprout. I’ve also regrettably seen some of them wither before they could bloom. Not because they didn’t want to fly, but because the institutional and structural backbone that they need is just not there,” Iyanda said.
He called for stronger Nigerian platforms capable of supporting, showcasing and distributing local creative works, arguing that the stories Nigeria tells about itself should form part of the country’s wider national conversation.
Representing Summit Chairman Demola Aladekomo, SmartCity Plc Managing Director Gabriel Ukachukwu said Nigeria needed to develop a complete ecosystem around creativity rather than depend on individual talent.
“A creative economy requires infrastructure. It requires capital. It requires intellectual protection. It requires skills. It requires distribution. It requires technology. It requires serious business models,” Ukachukwu said.
He noted that the global creative economy had become too significant for countries to leave its development to chance, citing figures presented at the summit indicating that global exports of creative services reached approximately US$1.7 trillion in 2024.
“Creativity is no longer a margin of the global economy. It is a part of the global economy,” he said.
Ukachukwu identified three critical questions for Nigeria: how to move talent into enterprise, how to finance creativity, and how to protect and monetise intellectual property.
“Talent without structure is just a hustle. So how do we move from talent to enterprise? My second question is: How do we finance creativity? The third one is how do we protect and monetise intellectual property?”
Delivering the keynote address, Ife Adebayo, National Coordinator of the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE), said Nigeria possessed enormous creative talent and cultural influence but needed the systems and infrastructure to convert these assets into sustainable economic value.
Adebayo pointed to the 1986 American film Top Gun as an example of how creative content can influence national image and generate tangible economic outcomes. The film, which portrayed US Navy fighter pilots, was followed by a reported increase in applications to join the US Navy.
He challenged Nigeria to consider what could be achieved if film, music, fashion, comedy and animation were deliberately supported as instruments of cultural influence and economic development.
“The most powerful military on earth, with the largest budget in human history, confessed that its most effective recruiter was not a weapon, was not a general, was not a budget line. It was a story. It was culture.”
Adebayo also highlighted the cost of leaving Nigeria’s own stories untold. Recalling the death of military officer S.K. Umaru, who died in an IED blast while fighting insurgents in 2014, he questioned why the stories of thousands of Nigerians who have served the country remain largely absent from the country’s creative output.
“What stays with me most is that this story has never been told. And he is one of thousands of men and women who have fought and who are fighting for this country.”
Adebayo said Nigeria’s creative economy currently contributes about 1.2% of GDP, compared with close to 3% in South Africa, arguing that the difference reflects the stronger structures, financing mechanisms and policy frameworks developed around South Africa’s creative industries.
“The difference is that they count it, they structure it, they finance it. We have the louder voice; they build the microphone, provide better infrastructure, supported with better policies,” he said.
He also referenced South Korea’s strategic investment in cultural exports, highlighting the global influence of Korean music, film and television as evidence of what sustained investment in creative industries can achieve.
According to Adebayo, Nigeria continues to face significant shortages in specialist skills, including cinematography, product management and animation, while the cost of professional equipment and expertise remains a major barrier for many creatives.
