The Government of Nigeria has announced the strengthening of its bilateral relations with France, a move that bolsters support for its creative infrastructure, securing concessionary funding that could rise from an initial €35 million to €100 million.
- The Nigerian government has announced a bilateral partnership with France to strengthen creative infrastructure.
- The Creative and Tourism Infrastructure Corporation aims to invest up to $100 billion by 2027.
- The deal includes an audiovisual co-production agreement and targets job creation and economic growth.
At the eighth edition of the Ministerial Press Briefing Session held at the National Press Centre in Abuja, Nigeria’s Minister of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, revealed the new bilateral venture with France
Speaking passionately about Nigeria’s creative economy, Musawa stated “The funding is not just about infrastructure; it’s about empowering talent, creating jobs, and positioning Nigeria as the creative capital of Africa.”
She noted that the collaboration with the French Treasury on funding for creative infrastructure projects in Nigeria was one of the key drivers, highlighting the importance of public-private partnerships.
Musawa also highlighted the signed agreement between Nigeria and France for audiovisual co-production, which showcases interest in Nigerian content and aims to drive economic growth, create jobs, and reposition Nigeria as a major player in the global creative economy.
“With our partnership with the French Treasury, and the establishment of the Creative and Tourism Infrastructure Corporation (CTICo), we are on track to invest up to $100 billion and create over two million jobs by 2027.” She added.
Creative economy boosts employment
With evident confidence, the minister announced that the ministry had created over 577,754 jobs, noting significant growth across the creative, cultural, and tourism sectors, including the music industry which encompasses numerous sub-sectors.
She cited a recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which showed that 257,745 jobs were created in the entertainment industry, with an additional 23,221 jobs generated in 2024 through over 20,000 new startups.
The total number of jobs created rose from 300,000 to 577,754 in 2024, reflecting substantial growth across the creative, cultural, and tourism sectors.
“Now, you must understand that when we talk about job creation, it is really across the full planning chain” she added.
Olamilekan Okebiorun
