Nigeria seeks foreign support to empower Nollywood
By Tosin Brown
The Federal Government has called for support from international organisations to enhance the burgeoning film industry known as Nollywood and unlock its potential as an economic driver.
This was made known in a statement from the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning under the leadership of Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.
The minister made the call for foreign support during a courtesy visit from Dr. Ali Nuhu, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) and his team, at the Ministry’s headquarters.
Bagudu noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deliberately established the Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy to unlock the film industry’s potential.
He further said that the creation of the ministry underlines the government’s recognition of the creative sector’s significant contribution to national economic growth while emphasizing the vast employment opportunities within the film and entertainment sector.
“Our major asset, rather than a liability, is the creative industry. It remains the biggest employer of labour,” Bagudu said.
Bagudu urged Nuhu to prioritize initiatives that create meaningful opportunities for youths to participate and thrive within the film industry.
On his part, Nuhu said the purpose of the visit was to request for an increased budgetary allocation. He emphasized that additional funding would empower the NFC to fulfill its mandate more effectively.
He mentioned the need for a supplementary budget to maintain existing liaison offices, develop the NFC’s permanent site, invest in capacity building for staff, and address staff aging through strategic recruitment.
