metro

FG Targets 2 Million Creative Jobs by 2030

Published

4 weeks ago

September 12, 2026

Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa-Musawa

FG Targets 2 Million Creative Jobs by 2030

The Federal Government has set a target of creating two million jobs in Nigeria’s creative industry by 2030, as it intensifies efforts to position the creative economy as a major driver of employment, investment and economic diversification.

The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa-Musawa, disclosed this at the closing of the 2026 Kano Creative Summit, organised by the National Theatre to strengthen Nigeria’s creative economy and equip practitioners with skills needed to build sustainable creative businesses.

Musa-Musawa said the government was integrating the creative sector into its broader economic development strategy through President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Destination Nigeria initiative.

“The Federal Government is integrating the creative sector into its economic framework through the Renewed Hope Agenda and ‘Destination Nigeria’ initiative, with a target of creating two million jobs in the creative industry by 2030,” she said.

The minister said the target reflected the government’s recognition of the capacity of Nigeria’s creative industry to generate employment, attract investment and create new opportunities, particularly for young people.

She also highlighted the economic potential of Kano State, describing its rich cultural heritage and long-standing creative traditions as important assets that could contribute to job creation and economic growth.

According to her, Kano’s centuries-old traditions in Kofar Mata indigo dyeing, leatherwork, weaving, blacksmithing, embroidery and Kannywood represent important components of Nigeria’s wider creative economy.

She said the international recognition of Kano’s traditional indigo dyeing further demonstrated the global value of the state’s cultural heritage.

The Kofar Mata indigo dyeing tradition was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024, giving the centuries-old practice greater international recognition.

Musa-Musawa urged creative practitioners to take a more professional approach to their work by developing sustainable business structures around their creative activities.

READ ALSO:

She advised practitioners to register their businesses, protect intellectual property, separate personal and business finances, understand project costs and strengthen collective bargaining through professional associations.

The minister also called for the revival of dormant cultural sites, including Kofar Mata, and the introduction of community-based training programmes that would enable older practitioners to transfer traditional skills and knowledge to younger generations.

She said preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage should be linked to efforts to create viable economic opportunities for communities and practitioners who depend on the creative sector.

The Kano summit also featured a panel discussion on the future of Northern Nigerian creativity, bringing together senior figures from the creative and academic sectors.

The panel was anchored by Kaltume Bulama-Gana, Chief Executive Officer of the National Troupe; Abdulkareem Mohammed, founder of the Kano Indigenous Languages of Africa Film Festival (KILAF); and Rukayat Banjo, Head of the Department of Theatre Arts at Bayero University, Kano.

Bulama-Gana stressed the need for Northern creatives to repackage their works and make greater use of digital platforms to showcase the region’s cultural identity to Nigerian and international audiences.

Mohammed called for sustained professional training and stronger collaboration between universities and the creative industry to help young practitioners acquire the skills required to build successful careers.

Banjo identified language barriers and inadequate indigenous storytelling as some of the challenges limiting the region’s creative potential.

She urged creatives to produce stories that reflect Northern Nigeria’s history, personalities and cultural identity, while maintaining the quality required to compete for audiences on global platforms.

The panellists also called for stronger government intervention in skills development, grants, affordable financing and institutional support for practitioners across the region.

READ ALSO:

They proposed the establishment of a National Troupe zonal office in Kano as part of efforts to strengthen cultural and creative activities in Northern Nigeria.

The summit further identified intellectual property protection, access to funding, digital technology, financial management and professional networking as critical areas requiring greater attention if Nigerian creatives are to compete effectively in the global market.

Participants said the practical sessions provided useful insights into how creative practitioners could improve their approach to creative production, business management and emerging opportunities within the industry.

The event brought together creative practitioners, policymakers, investors and industry experts to examine practical ways of transforming Nigeria’s cultural assets and creative talent into sustainable businesses and employment opportunities.

The National Theatre said the summit was designed to expose young creatives to industry leaders, policymakers and experts while providing practical knowledge on how to build sustainable careers in the creative economy.

The focus on Kano also reflects efforts to broaden access to creative-sector opportunities beyond Lagos and other established creative centres.

The Federal Government’s latest employment target is linked to a broader strategy to expand the contribution of the creative economy to Nigeria’s GDP.

In recent remarks, Musa-Musawa said the creative sector currently contributes about 2.3 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP, while the government is working to substantially increase its contribution by 2030.

The ministry has also relied on findings from Nigeria’s Creative Economy Mapping Report, which estimated that the sector could create up to 2.58 million new jobs and contribute about $100 billion to GDP by 2030 under an ideal scenario.

Under a more conservative scenario, the report projected more than 769,000 jobs, highlighting both the potential of the sector and the scale of investment and reforms required to unlock it.

The government has identified challenges including inadequate infrastructure, limited access to finance, skills gaps, piracy and weak intellectual-property enforcement as issues that must be addressed for the industry to achieve its full potential.

The ministry has consequently been pursuing measures aimed at improving financing, creative infrastructure, skills development and intellectual-property protection while attracting greater private-sector investment into the industry.

The creative economy covers a wide range of activities, including film, music, fashion, theatre, visual arts, literature, crafts, cultural heritage, digital content and other intellectual-property-driven businesses.

Government officials believe the sector can provide significant employment opportunities for Nigeria’s large young population while creating new avenues for international investment and export earnings.

The two-million-job target therefore places greater emphasis on converting Nigeria’s considerable creative talent and cultural resources into sustainable businesses capable of generating income and employment.

Achieving the target by 2030, however, will require sustained investment in skills training, financing, infrastructure, digital technology, intellectual-property protection and access to domestic and international markets.

The Kano Creative Summit reinforced the government’s position that Nigeria’s cultural heritage should not only be preserved but also developed into commercially viable opportunities capable of supporting livelihoods and contributing to national economic growth.

FG Targets 2 Million Creative Jobs by 2030

metro

Police Arrest Five, Recover Three Guns, Ammunition in Enugu

Published

37 minutes ago

October 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa

Police Arrest Five, Recover Three Guns, Ammunition in Enugu

The Enugu State Police Command has arrested five suspects in separate operations across the state and recovered three firearms, six rounds of live ammunition and other exhibits.

The arrests were made between September 18 and October 7, 2026, as part of the command’s ongoing intelligence-led operations against armed robbery, cultism and other violent crimes.

In the latest operation, operatives of the Inyi Police Division responded to a distress call over an alleged armed robbery at Umuaor, Umukabia Isiama Awlaw community in Oji River Local Government Area at about 5:10 a.m. on October 7.

The operation led to the arrest of 26-year-old Arinze Osita Onwuaso, while other suspects reportedly fled the scene.

Police said operatives recovered a locally made cut-to-size single-barrel gun, two live cartridges, a pry bar, hammer, scissors and chisel from him.

In another operation on October 5, operatives of the Anti-Cultism Section of the Violent Crime Response Unit, attached to the Nsukka sector, arrested two suspected cult members at Umudioka community in Nsukka Local Government Area.

The suspects were identified as 24-year-old Jonas Adejo, also known as J-Money, and 25-year-old Okoro Innocent, also known as Virus.

According to the police, three rounds of 9mm ammunition were recovered from the two suspects.

READ ALSO:

The command said the suspects allegedly confessed during interrogation to belonging to the Supreme Vikings Confraternity, an allegation they would have the opportunity to challenge in court.

A separate operation on September 25 resulted in the arrest of 25-year-old Anichebe Ogbonna at an alleged criminal hideout in Amagu Mpu community, Aninri Local Government Area.

Police operatives, working with members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group, reportedly raided the location following intelligence on suspected criminal activities.

A locally made pistol was allegedly recovered from Ogbonna.

Meanwhile, operatives of the 9th Mile Police Division arrested 38-year-old Chukwujekwu Chukwuemeka at Ameke-Ngwo, Udi Local Government Area, at about 11 p.m. on September 18.

The police said Chukwuemeka was arrested following information allegedly linking him to armed robbery activities in the area.

A cut-to-size pump-action gun and one live cartridge were reportedly recovered from him.

The four operations produced a total of five arrests, three firearms and six rounds of ammunition, with investigations continuing into the alleged offences and the suspects’ individual roles.

The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, commended the officers involved and residents whose information assisted the operations.

Giwa urged residents to continue providing credible information to the police to help prevent armed robbery, cult-related violence and other security threats across the state.

The suspects remain presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of law.

Police Arrest Five, Recover Three Guns, Ammunition in Enugu

metro

Court Grants Alleged Fake JAMB Registrar N50m Bail, Sets Strict Conditions

Published

4 hours ago

October 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Arinze Nwogba

Court Grants Alleged Fake JAMB Registrar N50m Bail, Sets Strict Conditions

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted N50 million bail to Arinze Nwogba, who is facing trial for allegedly impersonating the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Segun Aina.

Justice Salim Ibrahim, in a ruling on Thursday, admitted Nwogba to bail in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum.

The judge held that the alleged offence was bailable and not a capital offence, while noting that Nwogba had indicated through his bail application that he would not abscond and would make himself available for trial.

The court, however, attached stringent conditions to the bail.

One of the sureties must be a Federal Government civil servant not below Grade Level 14, while both sureties must reside within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The judge further directed that one of the sureties must reside in Asokoro, Maitama or Guzape.

Each surety is required to swear an affidavit of means and submit a tax clearance certificate covering the previous two years.

The court also ordered Nwogba and the sureties to submit photocopies of their National Identification slips.

The court registrar was directed to verify the bail documents and issue a report, with the prosecution also required to participate in the verification process.

Importantly, the ruling does not mean Nwogba walks out of custody immediately. He is to remain at the Kuje Correctional Centre until the bail conditions are perfected.

READ ALSO:

The case has been adjourned until October 19, 2026, for commencement of trial.

Nwogba is being prosecuted by the Inspector-General of Police on a six-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/612/2026.

The police allege that he impersonated Professor Aina by using the JAMB registrar’s photograph on WhatsApp and Truecaller, allegedly with the intention of obtaining financial advantage.

According to the prosecution, a petition was submitted to the Inspector-General of Police over a suspected criminal operation involving the unauthorised use of the registrar’s name, photograph and telephone number to deceive members of the public.

The police alleged that the suspects also used LinkedIn and WhatsApp to approach prospective victims with purported government contracts.

In one alleged scheme, the impersonators reportedly claimed that the Federal Ministry of Education had approved the supply of 200 HP laptops as part of a digitisation programme.

The prosecution alleged that prospective beneficiaries were subsequently asked to make payments, including N900,000 described as an initial “handshake” and another N3 million purportedly for officials of the ministry.

The police said Nwogba was arrested in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, during investigations into the alleged impersonation.

The prosecution further alleged that Nwogba used the operational name Dr Stephen Igwe and admitted forwarding bank account details to a relative allegedly connected with the fraudulent operation.

Another alleged member of the operation, identified by the police as Nnabuife Nwekpa, is said to be at large.

Nwogba pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge and remains presumed innocent unless and until the prosecution proves the allegations against him in court.

The bail ruling therefore allows him an opportunity to secure his release pending trial, but only after satisfying the conditions imposed by the court.

Court Grants Alleged Fake JAMB Registrar N50m Bail, Sets Strict Conditions

metro

NESREA to Honour Lagos Baale After Dramatic Rescue of Endangered Sea Turtle

Published

4 hours ago

October 8, 2026

Trends Admin

NESREA to Honour Lagos Baale After Dramatic Rescue of Endangered Sea Turtle

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) is set to honour the Baale of Okun Igando in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, Chief Semiu Waliu Jejelaiye, after he intervened to save a large sea turtle from being killed by fishermen.

The development followed the rescue of the marine animal after it became entangled in a fishing net along the coastline of the community.

The fishermen reportedly initially believed they had caught a large fish. However, the situation changed after the Baale intervened and stopped attempts to kill or sell the animal.

Chief Jejelaiye urged the fishermen and other residents to release the turtle, while explaining the importance of protecting endangered and threatened marine species.

The fishermen, with the assistance of other community members, carefully freed the animal from the net and returned it alive to the Atlantic Ocean.

The rescue attracted widespread attention after footage of the incident circulated online, with many Nigerians commending the community for choosing to protect the animal rather than kill it.

READ ALSO:

NESREA has subsequently commended the Baale and the local fishing community for their intervention, describing the rescue as an example of grassroots environmental conservation.

The agency is expected to issue a Letter of Commendation to Chief Jejelaiye in recognition of his role in preventing harm to the marine animal and promoting wildlife protection within the community.

The incident has also renewed attention to the challenges facing sea turtles in Nigeria, particularly along the Lagos coastline.

Sea turtles are exposed to several threats, including accidental capture in fishing nets, destruction of nesting habitats, pollution, illegal hunting and human consumption.

Conservation efforts in the Ibeju-Lekki area have previously focused on educating fishing communities about the importance of protecting sea turtles and finding ways to reduce conflicts between conservation and fishing activities.

The latest rescue also highlights the role that traditional rulers and coastal communities can play in protecting endangered wildlife.

NESREA, which is responsible for enforcing Nigeria’s environmental laws and regulations, has continued to advocate stronger community participation in biodiversity conservation and environmental protection.

The rescued turtle was identified in reports as a leatherback sea turtle, one of the largest living turtle species. Leatherback turtles face serious threats globally from fishing gear, habitat loss, pollution and other human activities.

The successful release of the turtle back into the ocean has been described as a positive example of what can happen when local communities respond quickly to protect threatened wildlife.

The development is also expected to strengthen calls for greater awareness among fishermen and residents of Nigeria’s coastal communities on how to safely handle marine animals accidentally caught in fishing nets.

For Okun Igando, the intervention by the Baale has turned what could have been the death of a rare marine animal into a notable wildlife conservation success story.