The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on
Monday announced the establishment of a 1-million-dollar Venture
Capital to boost the Creative Industry.
The Minister made the announcement at the opening of the two-day
Creative Industry Financing Conference holding in Lagos, saying 20
people, each investing $50,000, are expected to help make up the
required amount.
He said so far, five people have volunteered to invest $50,000 each,
and expressed the optimism that more investors will come forward.
Alhaji Mohammed said the $1-million Venture Capital would provide seed
money for young and talented Nigerians to set up businesses in the
Creative Industry.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Minister said the conference,
which is being jointly organized by the Federal Ministry of
Information and Culture and the Think Tank Media, was conceived with a
view to taking the Creative Industry into a golden era of smooth
access to short and long term financing.
”From my interactions with Industry stakeholders since assuming
office, one issue has stuck out like a sore thumb: lack of access to
financing is a major bane of the Industry. Instead of just lamenting
over this, we have decided to tackle the problem headlong, hence the
decision to host this conference.
”I have no doubt that at the end of the series of events here, we
will be able to come out with a way forward that will surely boost the
Industry,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed said the government is paying a great attention to the
Creative Industry because of its capacity to create 1 million jobs in
three years, boost the economy and allow the creative talents of the
youths to blossom.
He listed the efforts so far made to re-position and transform the
Industry as including the landmark National Summit on Culture and
Tourism, held in Abuja last year; the Creative Industry Roundtable
held in Lagos last week, and the MoUs signed with the Tony Elumelu
Foundation, the British Council and the Bank of Industry.
The conference was declared open by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi
Osinbajo, who was represented by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi
Adeosun.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Aisha Abubakar;
Minister of Information and Communication from the Republic of Niger,
Hadjia Koubra Sani and many Industry stakeholders, including Film and
Music Producers, Artists, Copyright lawyers, representatives of Banks
and journalists, are attending the conference
Segun Adeyemi
SA to Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Abuja
