Lagos State Government Enhances Creative Economy Support

The Lagos State Government, led by Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has committed to strengthening the creative economy by establishing structured funding channels, providing grants, and ensuring faster payments to creative suppliers engaged by the government. Speaking at the second edition of Podfest Naija, Hamzat emphasized that while Africa possesses abundant creative talent, the lack of effective structures for contracts, payments, intellectual property rights, data, and financing hampers the continent's participation in the global creative economy, which is valued in the trillions.

He pointed out that many young creatives struggle to monetize their skills due to inadequate access to capital and reliance on foreign payment systems. The government aims to transform the creative sector into a structured industry that offers protection and fair compensation for creators.

Hamzat also acknowledged the government's role as a major consumer of creative services and pledged to improve payment timeliness for creative suppliers.