Musawa: Nigeria eyes creative economy policy framework

Guardian Nigeria

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00:00 Nigeria's Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannah Tumusawa, says

00:05 work is underway to develop and unveil a policy framework in the next few months

00:09 with a focus on creating an enabling environment to catalyze the growth of

00:13 the creative economy. Now speaking to CNBC Africa at the World Economic Forum

00:18 which is winding to close, she notes the strength of messaging in the creative

00:22 economy is strong and crucial to addressing issues of growth and

00:26 sustainable development. Take a look. The world is trying to diversify away from

00:33 the traditional means of growth such as oil. You know we're looking at new areas

00:38 opening up new conversations to see how we can contribute value back to our

00:43 country. So for us in Nigeria what we have done with the new government is

00:47 doing that diversification by opening up the conversation on blue economy, on

00:52 digital economy and now we have creative economy. So we have a new ministry,

00:57 Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy which is trying to look at how

01:01 we can cultivate and bring out the opportunities, tap into the potentials

01:06 within this industry to see how we can add value, grow the economy and even

01:11 beyond that reposition the country and see how we can use it as a means of

01:17 unity not only for us in Nigeria but within this creative economy or

01:23 creative industry. We have something, a strength that nobody else has and this

01:28 strength is our ability to unite and to resonate with the public in a way that

01:33 nobody else does. When head of state speak maybe people listen but when

01:38 musicians speak, when Tyler sings her water right and dances her water, when

01:44 David O sings, you know it has a certain amount of strength. So we want to be able

01:49 to tap into that to see how we can add value to our countries and to bring

01:54 unity and to reposition the continent in a different and productive way.

01:59 Absolutely, I think everybody of course knows about Nollywood, everybody knows

02:03 the norms that you are talking about whether you are sitting in a cab in the

02:06 US or you are here in Davos you can still listen to Nigerian and African

02:10 music. So I wanted to know if you're getting the sense that that industry is

02:14 not being given the support that it requires and also the recognition that

02:19 it requires in order to be able to fully harness its capabilities. Yes, absolutely

02:24 I do think that industry has really been neglected for the most part and now you

02:29 know we have a chance to formalize it properly. Because it's been neglected

02:34 there's so many areas, lacunas that need to be put in place that will give it the

02:39 strength and the fortification that it needs to really develop at its highest

02:44 potential. So for example, what we do for example here in the Nigerian

02:49 government, you look at the industry it's very very porous. So for example in the

02:54 areas of intellectual property we really need to go into that to see how we can

02:59 come up with strong copyright laws that will be able to offer the kind of

03:03 securitization that the artists needs and the people who are coming in to

03:08 invest need as well. And then for example the area of infrastructure, for us in

03:12 Nigeria infrastructure is really lacking and it is because the industry has been

03:17 completely neglected. So you know these are areas that we need to look into to

03:21 see how we can help the industry grow and to export it in a way that will give

03:26 the securitization that importing it also needs. Yeah, I don't know if you've

03:31 seen the video, so last night it was Nigeria night and there's a video that

03:35 shows Klaus Schwab, the executive chairman of the World Economic Forum

03:39 dancing to Nigerian music. Great advert for the country if you can get your

03:43 hands on to that one. But I wanted to know which sessions you've been

03:45 attending and if you have found enough representation on the WEF program for

03:50 Arts Centre and the creative economy. Absolutely, I have been able to

03:55 attend a number of engagements not only on panels that my country has been

04:02 representative whereby we are trying to attract investments, I've also been able

04:07 to speak to individuals who have interest in investing in the industry

04:13 but you know they need to know that the country is ready to give them the

04:17 assurances and to give them the sort of securitization that is required for them

04:22 to protect their investments. So I've been doing a lot of engagements and you

04:27 know I earlier spoke to you about IP protection which is completely

04:31 foundational. I just finished having a meeting with the leader of WIPO for

04:35 example, so we're looking at ways that we can sort of tap into the intellectual

04:41 property, different different measures and also I've spoken to a number of

04:45 people who have interest in streaming platforms for example you know these are

04:50 areas you know when you talk about the creative industry the spectrum is very

04:54 very wide. I know we talk about film and music but you know there are almost 49

05:01 different work streams in this industry you're talking about gaming, fashion,

05:05 you're talking craft, there is just so much. So part of what we're doing in

05:09 Nigeria is to see how we can provide a strategy and a policy framework for all

05:15 these different streams to be able to give artists and creatives in Nigeria

05:19 the enabling environment for them to be able to thrive. And it has worth

05:24 24 given the creative economy industry the platform that you think it deserves

05:30 I think it is... Other than the music of course last night. Of course other than

05:35 the music last night and you see that's the strength of your music if you can

05:39 get the leader of the World Economic Forum to dance to

05:44 Bugha I think I mean that is in it in and of itself speaks volumes. Yes I do

05:49 think the conversation is opening up about the creative economy. I think

05:54 so much more can be done to support their creative economy but like I said

05:58 people within organizations, corporations and even governments need

06:04 to show a level of commitment to strengthen the securitization and

06:12 strengthen and cover all the lacunas that is required to give confidence in

06:18 the industry and you know the main theme of this WEF is about rebuilding

06:25 trust and the strength of rebuilding trust or the strength of messaging

06:31 within the creative economy is beyond. So you know if you use the

06:36 creative economy for example to communicate to people in a way that

06:40 people it resonates with them far much more than when a leader speaks to them

06:45 so I think that the strength of messaging within the creative economy

06:48 is very very strong when you talk about sustainability climate change for

06:52 example in Africa not many communities really understand the language of

06:57 climate change or what have you but I think if we can tap into the creative

07:01 economy or into the creative industry we'll be able to communicate these

07:05 messages in a way that really will resonate with them so I think forums

07:09 such as WEF are understanding the importance of the platform and the voice

07:14 that the creative economy has and I think in future you will see more

07:17 engagement and more commitment to support in the creative industry.

07:22 Final thought Minister, a bit on the left field as it were the FCFDA we talk

07:29 about its benefits for the African economy we talk about the importance of

07:32 integration within the sub-saharan African economy and I wonder if there's

07:36 anything in it for the creative economy. I think there is I think there's so much in

07:43 it for the creative economy like I said this is a conversation that has been

07:46 just started now it's a conversation that needs to be had but I think we have

07:53 to do a lot from our end as an organ or rather as a government administration to

07:58 give the fortification that shows the commitment on our part to support the

08:03 industry once we do that you will see different conversations coming in the

08:08 tapestry is very wide is a kaleidoscope of opportunity for the creative economy

08:13 so we as a government in Nigeria having this ministry we are taking the

08:18 necessary steps in the next few months to see that we are providing an enabling

08:23 environment for conversations such as that to continue.

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