The Federal Government has set a target of creating at least two million jobs in Nigeria’s creative economy by 2030, as it moves to attract investment and expand employment opportunities for young people across Nigeria.
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The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, disclosed the target at the Ministerial Roundtable of the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) WKND 2026 in Lagos.
Musawa said the government was taking steps to make the creative industry a major contributor to economic growth, job creation and international trade. She said the sector must move beyond cultural expression and become a stronger source of revenue, business opportunities and investment.
According to the minister, Nigeria is pursuing the two-million-job target through policy reforms, improved access to finance, infrastructure investment and stronger protection of intellectual property (IP).
She said the ministry published the Nigeria Creative Economy Data Mapping Report in 2025. The report provides information on the sector’s value chains, investment opportunities and infrastructure gaps.
The roundtable brought together ministers responsible for cultural and creative industries from African and Caribbean countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal, Algeria, Botswana and others.
The discussions focused on accelerating the development of culture and creative industries in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) and innovation. The ministers called for increased funding, stronger IP protection and improved access to markets.
The call was echoed at the fifth edition of Digital Innovation and Creative Excellence (DICE 5.0), held alongside CANEX WKND 2026, which focused on infrastructure and strategic capital.
Founder of Zuri24 Media Lagos and #BLACKBox Creative Hub, Femi Odugbemi, said Africa needed to move beyond content production and invest in infrastructure that would help creators retain ownership of the value generated by their work.
He said the continent continued to face challenges involving IP ownership, distribution platforms and technology, despite its creative talent. He argued that stronger infrastructure would connect African creative works to audiences while keeping more economic benefits within the continent.
The Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Obi Asika, said the government was working on a new IP framework. Under it, creatives could use registered intellectual property assets as collateral to obtain financing.
Earlier, founder of Beyond Limits and DICE convener, Dr Juliet Ehimuan, said the event was designed to unlock the creative economy through investment, infrastructure development and partnerships. She said creatives needed support to turn their talents and ideas into sustainable businesses.
What the target means
The two-million-job target is a government ambition, not confirmation that jobs are currently available for applications. The announcement did not provide a breakdown of the jobs, a recruitment portal or application dates. The government plans to pursue the target through policies, financing and infrastructure.
