The Theater Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners of Nigeria (TAMPAN) has unveiled the logo for its 2025 annual conference scheduled to hold in Lagos State.
The 4-day event scheduled to hold From February 19th to 22nd will also honour the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu with the Association most prestigious awards
The Global President of the Association, Bolaji Amusan, who revealed this at a press conference held on Friday in Abeokuta, called on the Nigerian government to harness the potential of the creative and entertainment industry to boost the country’s revenue generation adding that it is not economically wise for the country to rely only on oil.
Speaking on the forthcoming National Conference of the association, tagged “EKO 2025”, with the theme, “Maximizing the Potentials of Arts and Creativity in Addressing National Challenges”, Amusan disclosed that motion picture and music recordings accounted for roughly N154 billion (roughly 197.6 million U.S. dollars) of Nigeria’s GDP in 2023.
He added that in the same year, Netflix alone claimed to have supported 5,140 jobs and invested over $23 million in the Nigerian film industry, and between 2021 and 2023, the Nigerian box office generated a cumulative revenue of N19 billion, in 2021, revenue from the box office was N4.74 billion, it rose to N6.94 billion in 2022, and N7.24 billion in 2023.
The conference, billed to take place at LTV 8 and University of Lagos from February 19th to February 22, 2025, goes beyond a mere jamboree.
According to him, the Conference would provide an opportunity to espouse the possible contributions of the creative sector towards solving some of the fundamental challenges of the nation.
He posited that the creative industry has a lot of potential to generate income and to alternate oil in the country, lamenting that the Nigerian government has not been able to maximize the potential.
Amusan called on the government to give uninhibited support for the creative industry, citing London, America, and India as examples.
“If you go to London, India and America, they are, I can call them grandfathers in film production and creative industry. Most of these people, perform arts free, and the government focuses so well on the development of the creative industry”
“The only way we can do that is to get that uninhibited support from the government”.
“In Nigeria, let’s take Ogun State, Lagos State, for example, we have just less than two to three film villages. If the government invested heavily in film villages and the equipment being used to produce films, it would reduce the stress and hardship being faced by the creative people to produce their products, produce their movies, and do a lot of things that will enhance their own life”.
“A single actor, filmmaker, Ibrahim Shatta, owns a film village that everybody is very, very proud of. Government can borrow something from someone like Ibrahim Shatta, and invest in the creative industry so that the full potential of the industry can be well harnessed.
“Motion picture and music recording accounted for roughly 154 billion Nigerian naira (NGN) (roughly 197.6 million U.S. dollars) of Nigeria’s GDP in 2023. Same year Netflix alone claimed to have supported 5,140 jobs and invested over $23 million in the Nigerian film industry. Between 2021 and 2023, the Nigerian box office generated a cumulative revenue of N19 billion. In 2021, revenue from the box office was N4.74 billion, it rose to N6.94 billion in 2022, and N7.24 billion in 2023”.
“The creative industries, including film, music, fashion, visual arts, and digital media can contribute significantly to economic diversification, by promoting local talents and creative exports, these industries can generate income and create jobs”.
“The creative sector currently employs about 4.2 million people in Nigeria. It has however been projected that the creative sector could create an additional 2.7 million jobs within the next 4–5 years if its potentials are properly annexed”.
Explaining on the potentials of the creative sector, the TAMPAN boss
said “There is no better time than now to appraise the capacity of the creative sector to contribute to the efforts of government to solve many problems confronting Nigeria.
“Previous diagnoses have identified our long dependence on oil economy as the bane of the slow growth and development of our nation. It is not an over-statement therefore, to say that Nigeria’s dependency on oil exports has led to vulnerability to global oil price fluctuations and hindered the growth of other sectors. As a result of the consequential slow growth, unemployment rates have become so alarming. The failure of other sectors such as education has also continued to increase the number of unemployable persons especially among the youth demography.
“All these have conspired to promote socio-political and economic instability and social unrest.
The Nigeria’s creative industry has a lot of potentials that can be leveraged upon to address the various challenges facing the nation, such potentials include, the diversification of our economy as well as creation of employment opportunities and jobs.”
Amusan commended the Lagos State Government and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the unflinching supports for the Practioners and the Association over the years particularly, towards hosting of the National Conference.
“The choice of Lagos State is strategic. Lagos State under Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has done so much within the last six years to reposition the creative industry. Due to the support enjoyed by many creative entrepreneurs from the Lagos State Government, the entertainment industry in Nigeria has been greatly impacted and many jobs created.
“Therefore, besides the need to appreciate the government of Lagos by giving the State the opportunity to host this landmark event of our Association, it is important to attract attention to the massive all round development Lagos State is enjoying under the hardworking Governor.
“The Conference would also be an opportunity to appreciate the contributions of some corporate organizations and individuals towards the growth of the creative industry in Nigeria.
The Governor of Lagos would be invested with the prestigious TAMPAN Pillar of Arts Award, which is the highest award given to people who have distinguished themselves as great supporters of the Arts in Nigeria.
“Also a royal father, the Onipokia of Ipokia would be decorated as the Royal Patron of the association and equally presented with an award”, he said.