THE Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy has presented its budget performance report to the National Assembly, highlighting the ministry’s achievements, challenges, and future plans.
The report which was presented to the House Committee on Art, Culture and Creative Economy on Wednesday, detailed the ministry’s efforts to promote Nigeria’s cultural heritage, support the growth of the creative industry, and drive economic growth.
The ministry’s initiatives include developing a robust intellectual property policy, investing in infrastructure, and fostering collaboration with stakeholders.
The ministry’s budget performance presentation which highlighted its eight-point plan, initiatives such as Nigeria Destination 2030, skills development, policy frameworks, intellectual property protection, strategic partnerships, growth targets, digital transformation, and cultural heritage preservation was given a thumbs up by the House committee.
During the presentation, the minister, Barr Hannatu Musa Musawa highlighted the challenges faced by the ministry, including limited resources and infrastructure. Despite these challenges, she said that the ministry has made significant progress in promoting Nigerian culture and supporting the creative industry.
Musawa also emphasized the importance of collaboration and partnership in driving the growth of the creative industry.
“We cannot do this alone. We need to work together with stakeholders, including industry experts, international partners, and the National Assembly, to drive economic growth and job creation”.
The minister explained that the ministry’s initiatives are expected to have a significant impact on the creative industry, generating revenue, creating jobs, and promoting Nigerian culture globally. She stated that the ministry is also exploring ways to develop infrastructure, including a physical Bollywood-style destination, and creating a streaming platform to showcase Nigerian content.
“The ministry has also secured a grant from the French treasury to support infrastructure development, and is working to leverage international partnerships to drive growth in the creative industry” the minister said.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Dr Mukhtar Yawale Muhammed, MFR, mni. highlighted key achievements and budget performance in the sector as well as the ministry’s GDP contribution to the economy, tourism revenue accrued, and project implementation.
The Chairman, House Committee on Art, Culture and Creative Economy Hon. Gabriel Saleh Zok commended the ministry’s initiatives and expressed the Committee’s commitment to support the growth of the creative industry.
“We are here to access your budget performance and ensure effective utilization of funds appropriated. We expect to have a closer working relationship with the ministry”.
The interaction with the House Committee members provided insights into the Ministry’s efforts to drive economic growth and development through strategic initiatives and project implementation.