Creative Industry

Katsina Governor Pledges Support for Arts and Culture Ministry

Published

2 weeks ago

April 22, 2025

Katsina State Governor, Dr. Dikko Umar Radda, has pledged his state’s support to the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy in areas of culture and artifacts preservation.
Governor Radda made the pledge during a visit to Minister Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Governor expressed admiration for the Minister’s initiatives, stating that Nigeria has a rich cultural heritage and a lot to offer globally in art and culture. He commended the Ministry’s efforts in preserving and retrieving the state’s artifacts while pledging to support the Ministry’s laudable initiatives, which he said, are achievable.

Governor Radda highlighted Katsina State’s efforts in preserving its heritage sites, including the renovation of the Gobarau Minerate for N100m and a contract award of over N640m for the National Museum in Katsina. He stated that the Museum is currently in a dilapidated state, and the state government aims to give it a facelift.

“We are proud of you and willing to support your initiatives, which are achievable. There are a lot of potentials in this ministry, and a lot to showcase to the world. You have a lot of initiatives, and we will be here to support you and your ministry to succeed,” Governor Radda stated.

He emphasized the need to preserve Nigeria’s cultural heritage and monuments to boost the country’s image and export its culture globally. “Nigeria has very rich cultural heritages, but we don’t have what it takes to showcase them. Previous governments did not tap into the economic expansion of these heritage sites.”

The Governor also highlighted the massive potential of the creative industry in Nigeria, noting the abundance of young talents. However, he acknowledged the lack of amenities to utilize and showcase their talents.

In response, Minister Musawa expressed delight in the Governor’s visit, describing it as one of her highlights of being a minister. She stated that her priority is to ensure the diversification of the economy and explore the vast resources in the tourism industry.

“We hope to have an economic breakthrough in tourism because the income generation in tourism is so huge and yet untapped and uncultivated. We want to build on our heritage and traditions and those beautiful artifacts and cultures that we have to boost domestic tourism,” Minister Musawa said.

The Minister also emphasized the importance of supporting young talents, creating jobs, and stimulating economic expansion through the creative industry.

The Governor’s delegation included the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abdulkadir Nasir; the Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Hon Abdullahi A. Turaji; the State Commissioner for Health, Hon. Musa Adamu Funtua; the Commissioner for Lands and Physical Planning, Dr Faisal Umar Kaita; the Technical Assistant to the Governor, Dr Babangida Rimi; and the Director Innercore consultant on Culture, Musa Umar Yar’adua.

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Creative Industry

Loan Opportunity for Creatives: Federal Govt Rolls Out Creative Economy Development Fund CEDF To Boost Industry

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2025

The Gleamer

The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy invites eligible creatives, entrepreneurs, and organisations to apply for funding through the Creative Economy Development Fund.

The CEDF is a bold step towards realizing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at fostering job creation, economic diversification, and enhancing Nigeria’s global cultural influence.

Flagging off the CEDF, the Honorable Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa said that the Fund is a strategic national investment designed to unlock the vast potential of Nigeria’s creative sector, positioning it as a driver of economic growth and cultural diplomacy.

“This is not just a financial intervention. It is a call to action for creatives, entrepreneurs, and industry enablers to scale their dreams and contribute to a thriving, inclusive creative economy,” the Minister said.

The fund provides tailored financial support through debt, equity, and grant funding to boost promote innovation, and increase global visibility for Nigeria’s creative assets, cultural projects, and tourism-linked enterprises.

CEDF supports creative businesses by providing capital to scale production, expand market access, and build resilience. It also allows creators to leverage intellectual property as a financial asset, unlocking the value of film rights, music catalogues, digital content, and other creative works.

The initiative offers various funding options for creative businesses, including; Affordable loans and credit facilities for businesses across sectors such as film, music, fashion, art, publishing, gaming, and cultural tourism. Equity and quasi-equity investments in high-growth creative enterprises, Grant funding for socially impactful and innovative cultural projects and focus on leveraging intellectual property (IP) as a bankable asset class for securing financing.

The application process will be rolled out in phases, with the first call for proposals open till May 30, 2025, prioritizing mature projects seeking over $100,000.
The second phase will open on August 4, 2025, focusing on Micro Small and Medium Enterprises MSMEs and Small and Medium Enterprises SMEs requesting under $100,000.

Application review, project onboarding, incubation, and acceleration for Phase One will take place from June to December 2025, with the disbursement of funds starting on January 1, 2026. For Phase Two, disbursements will start on April 1, 2026.

The fund is open to individuals, businesses, and institutions operating across the creative and cultural economy, including writers, directors, artists, fashion designers, gaming studios, cultural tourism providers, training institutions, promoters, legal consultants, media agencies, digital platforms, and logistics companies.

Applications will be assessed by independent professionals with oversight from a private sector investment committee. The Creative Economy Development Fund is structured as an independent, professionally managed investment fund, with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated serving as the anchor shareholder. Interested investors and development partners are encouraged to reach out regarding co-investment opportunities or participation in specific sub-funds.

For updates and additional information contact CEDFnigeria.com

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