The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with leading entertainment company Chocolate City to develop infrastructure critical to Nigeria’s creative industry, as part of a broader strategy to harness its economic potential and significantly grow the country’s GDP.
The agreement was formalised on Thursday in Abuja by the Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, who noted that the creative industry is a powerful catalyst for economic expansion, national unity and cultural identity. She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to contributing $100 billion to the national GDP by 2030.
“We as a ministry have committed to growing the GDP by $100 billion by 2030,” Musawa said. “Even though some may think it’s ambitious, we don’t believe so. Once we put the right modalities in place, across the 49 sub-sectors beyond music, film, fashion and art, we will see huge growth—economically and culturally.”
Highlighting the critical role of infrastructure in sustaining the sector, Musawa praised Chocolate City for being part of the foundational growth of Nigeria’s creative scene. She described the collaboration as more than a public-private partnership, noting that it represents a deeper coalition with key industry players who understand the pulse and needs of the creative ecosystem.
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“This is one of the most exciting days I’ve had,” she said, describing Chocolate City as a vital contributor to the organic growth of the sector before government involvement. “This partnership is about building frameworks and infrastructure, and Chocolate City helped flesh out and populate that framework. Without the right infrastructure, this industry cannot grow,” she added.
Musawa also disclosed that the Ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, is preparing to present an Intellectual Property Protection framework to the Federal Executive Council on May 23, 2025. Following this, there will be stakeholder engagements to unveil the IP framework in Lagos and Abuja.
Chairman of Chocolate City, Mr Audu Maikori, underscored the economic potential of the creative sector, noting that Africa’s music industry alone is growing at over 10% annually. He projected that revenues would reach $9 billion in 2025 and rise to $13 billion by 2029.
“This MoU is crucial for the growth and development of the creative industries,” Maikori said. “It represents a shift in how the creative space is perceived—not just as entertainment but as a pillar of national economic strategy.”
Maikori added that Chocolate City, one of the oldest indigenously owned entertainment companies in Nigeria, would focus on building institutions and ecosystems, not just nurturing talent. He revealed that the partnership would include youth training in intellectual property, the development of indigenous distribution platforms, and support for creative content production—especially in light of recent market shifts, such as the exit of Netflix and Amazon from direct content licensing.
“This bold move is a landmark affirmation of the value of our creative minds,” he said. “We are not just entertaining anymore; we’re creating jobs, building platforms, and supporting a generation whose average age is 19. This partnership is only the beginning.”
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