The Nigerian Creative Industry recently witnessed the convergence of experts, venture capitalists, government officials, artists and business executives, among others, to explore ways to ensure the sustainability of the industry.
During the event tagged ‘A Curated Evening Exploring the Business and Sustainability of the Nigerian Creative Industry’, and held at the Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos State, the panellists discussed two topical issues.
The first panellists comprised the Senior Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals to the Governor of Lagos State, Lekan Fatodu; the Director, FilmOne Entertainment, Mimi Bartels; founder, Storm 360, Obi Asika, Chairperson, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Creative Committee, Ade Olufeko, among others, and discussed the topic ‘Navigating the Future: Strategies for Sustainable Growth and Success in the Nigeria Creative Industry.”
The second panellist comprising Head of Data and Innovation, Nigerian Exchange Limited, Afeez Ramoni; Director, Mavin Records, Jennifer Imion; Managing Director, Lead Asset Management Limited, Taiwo Olashore, among others, explored the theme ‘Technology, Marketplaces, and Traditional Means as Alternative Pathways Gateways to Financing and Sustainability.”
Speaking on behalf of the organisers of the event staged in conjunction with the Aalto Ventures Program, Kolawole Okuboyejo, while describing the Nigerian creative industry as a burgeoning industry, said it started out with Nollywood, then the music industry, adding that it had spilled over into the arts, animation, industrial design, among others.
He said, “I met with the Head of Communications and Partnerships at the Aalto Ventures Program, MJ Myungji Suh, during the last Slush event where she requested I help connect her to the startup community during their proposed trip to Lagos.
“I decided to onboard some team members including Seye Soyode, Femi Coker, and Bolaji Onibudo, to carry out the assignment and also to fulfil my personal goals of fostering collaboration between the startup communities in Nigeria and Finland.
“I decided the creative community would be a good starting point to foster a more robust business relationship between Finland and Nigeria in line with the Finnish government’s Africa strategy to promote a closer working relationship with Africa.”
Noting that the plan was to explore the creative industry because it attracted a large demography of Nigerian youths, Okuboyejo said the event would amplify their voices concerning the challenges they were facing and also open up opportunities for exchange programmes between Nigeria and Finland, and collaboration on projects.
