The United Kingdom government has launched a new Creative Fund aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s creative industry, with a focus on film, fashion, and music sectors.
The initiative, introduced through the UK-Nigeria Technology Hub, is designed to address critical gaps in technical capacity, infrastructure, and access to modern production tools across the country’s creative ecosystem.
According to officials, the fund will support the development of local digital production capacity, promote the adoption of modern creative technologies, and encourage the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance Nigeria’s creative value chain.
The programme is part of the broader UK-Nigeria Economic Transformation and Investment Partnership (ETIP), Speaking on the initiative, Director of the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, Oyinkansola Akintola-Bello, said the fund represents a shift from policy discussions to practical implementation, noting that Nigeria’s creative sector already contributes significantly to the economy but requires stronger local capacity to scale production.
The fund will provide support for high-potential projects, including access to specialized talent such as visual effects artists, sound engineers, and post-production experts, as well as digital tools like content delivery systems and AI-driven production technologies.
Data from a 2024 study on Nigeria’s creative ecosystem shows the sector employs approximately 4.2 million people and contributes about $3 billion annually to GDP, despite facing challenges such as limited financing, skills gaps, and reliance on outsourcing for high-value technical work.
The initiative, funded under the UK government’s Digital Access Programme and implemented by Tech4Dev, is also structured to promote inclusion by supporting youth-led, women-led, and underserved creative enterprises. Applications for the Creative Fund are currently open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis, targeting creative companies, studios, production houses, fashion businesses, and music labels with scalable and impactful projects.
