Nigeria’s creative industry is positioning itself as a global powerhouse, with projections showing it could generate 3 million jobs and reach a market value of $100 billion by 2030.

This is according to the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Obi Asika.

In a recent interview with ARISE News, Asika highlighted the sector’s remarkable trajectory, crediting innovation, technology, and Nigerian creativity for driving sustainable growth across Africa’s entertainment landscape.

Nigeria’s Creative Industry: Leading Africa’s Cultural Growth

Nigeria’s Creative Industry to Create 3m Jobs, $100bn by 2030 - Obi Asika

Citing a recent PwC report, Asika explained that Nigeria’s entertainment and media sector is already expanding faster than its African counterparts, with a projected 11.2% growth rate in 2024.

While PwC estimates the industry will be worth $25 billion by 2025, Asika believes the nation can go even further.

“For us in the sector, we’re targeting $100 billion by 2030,” he said.
“We just completed a comprehensive mapping of ten creative sectors supported by Big Win Philanthropy. Our data shows we can create up to three million jobs.”

The mapping exercise, the first of its kind in Nigeria, provides a strategic foundation for policy, investment, and capacity development in key areas like film, music, fashion, visual arts, publishing, and digital content creation.

Technology: The Power Behind the Boom

Asika emphasized that technology remains the backbone of the creative industry’s expansion.

From streaming platforms to digital art and online storytelling, Nigerian creatives are leveraging digital tools to reach global audiences.

“Technology enables scale,” Asika said.

“But imagine a digital platform without Nigerian content — it’s empty. Our content animates everything: music, film, art, podcasts, and entertainment.”

He noted that Spotify paid Nigerian artists ₦58 billion in 2024, with over 1.2 million Afrobeats playlists hosted on the platform; a sign of how far Nigeria’s sound and culture have traveled.

“Our music no longer needs validation, it’s already validated globally,” he added.

Building Infrastructure and Local Platforms

Nigeria’s Creative Industry to Create 3m Jobs, $100bn by 2030 - Obi Asika — FMACTCE, Lens for Good Partner to Empower Nigerian Creatives

Despite the progress, Asika stressed the need for stronger local infrastructure and platforms to ensure creators capture more value domestically.

“There’s nothing wrong with YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram,” he said. “But we need to build our own platforms to retain value here at home.”

He called for a mix of policy reform, digital investment, and creative infrastructure to fully unlock the sector’s economic potential under the Renewed Hope Agenda championed by the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy (FMACTCE).

Harnessing Nigeria’s Soft Power

Nigeria’s Creative Industry to Create 3m Jobs, $100bn by 2030 - Obi Asika — Nigeria’s Creative Economy Report Unveils Path to 2M Jobs by 2030

Asika described Nigeria’s creative energy as its strongest form of soft power, one that has already influenced global culture through music, film, and fashion.

“Nigerians should be celebrated,” he said.

“Our creativity has reached every corner of the world with very little investment. Imagine what’s possible with full government and private sector support.”

He highlighted the need to empower creative hubs beyond Lagos, pointing to talent emerging from Enugu, Kaduna, Ibadan, Onitsha, and Kafanchan as proof that Nigeria’s creativity knows no boundaries.

Looking Ahead: NAFEST and the National Arts Theatre

Asika also announced preparations for the 2024 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) in Enugu State, scheduled from November 22–29, under the theme Connected Culture.

He further celebrated the reopening of the National Arts Theatre in Lagos, describing it as a “game-changer” that will reshape Nigeria’s cultural landscape.

Nigeria’s Creative Future

With over 250 ethnic groups, unmatched artistic talent, and a growing global audience, Nigeria’s creative industry continues to be the face of the nation’s new economy.

Nigeria’s Creative Industry to Create 3m Jobs, $100bn by 2030 - Obi Asika

As Asika concluded:

“Once we start capturing the value we create, we won’t just dominate Africa, we’ll lead the world.”

Read more creative economy stories here.

Nigeria’s Creative Industry to Create 3m Jobs, $100bn by 2030 – Obi Asika