CEDF Faces Skepticism Over Fund Disbursement Process

The Creative Economy Development Fund (CEDF) was launched to support Nigeria's creative sector, but since its announcement in January, it has faced significant skepticism. Zeb Ejiro, a renowned filmmaker, expressed concerns about the lack of communication regarding fund disbursement, which was expected to start in January but remained silent until April.

The creative community is anxious about the fund's distribution, fearing it may not reach deserving recipients due to a lack of transparency and potential political interference. There are allegations of misapplication of funds and doubts about the selection criteria for beneficiaries, as no list of successful applicants has been published.

This has led to a deep-seated distrust among practitioners in Nollywood, who worry about delays and the opaque selection process. The CEDF, described as not a typical grant scheme, has raised hopes but also fears of repeating past failures in public funding initiatives within Nigeria's creative economy.