Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said that the creative industry in Nigeria has enormous potentials to drive the economy.
The minister who made the observation on Tuesday at the just concluded Stakeholders Forum of the National Gallery of Art with the theme, “Transforming Nigeria through contemporary Visual Art: Public and Private Sector Funding Interventions and Synergy,” said the Federal Government places much emphasis on the development of the creative industry.
Represented by the Director, Entertainment & Creative Services Department, Mrs. Ugochi Akudo-Nwosu, assured that the Government will continue to support the creative sector through conducive environment to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Director General, National Gallery of Art (NGA), Chief Ebetan William Ivara in his remarks recommended an amendment to the act establishing the NGA to make it revenue driven.
He said the Act establishing the NGA makes it service oriented observing that making it revenue driven will be a starting point in making the gallery more impactful.
The DG further observed that critical challenges bedeviling the creative industry in Nigeria which the NGA is part of need to be addressed because if left unchecked are capable of undermining governments policy plan of building a creative and imaginative nation.
He lamented the poor funding of the NGA noting that as the repository for the country’s creative spirit, lack of sufficient funds has greatly limited its capacity to rise to the occasion.
Earlier, the Director, Planning and Research of the NGA, Dr.Evelyn Otaigbe explained that the Stakeholders’ Forum is designed to assemble distinguished artists of African descent, art scholars, administrators, captains of industry, private gallery owners etc. to brainstorm and chart a new Course for Visual Art Industry in Nigeria and come out with recommendation on way forward.
