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FG Unveils Plan To Generate Revenue From Creative Sector, Projects $100bn By 2030

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The federal government has unveiled a roadmap to drive economic development and boost the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by $100 billion through the creative sector.

Speaking on Tuesday at the maiden creative economy roundtable in Abuja, Hannatu Musawa, minister of art, culture and creative economy, said Nigeria needs to showcase its creators and culture to the world.

She said with the launch of the roadmap, the creative sector could contribute as much as 10 percent to Nigeria’s GDP.

The art, culture, and the creative economy comprise sectors such as movies, gaming, fashion and style, intellectual property, culinary arts, cultural arts, “and 49 other sectors”.

The creative sector contributed only 2.54 percent to the GDP in the second quarter of 2023, according to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Speaking at the roundtable, Musawa said the roadmap is built on five key pillars which include policy, legislative, regulatory and intellectual property reforms; cultural plan; economic plan; private sector engagement and destination 2030; ‘Nigeria Everywhere’.

“The economic plan is aimed at creating millions of jobs, supported by comprehensive skills training programs. Our objective is to contribute 10% to the Nation’s GDP, expanding sectorial GDP to a remarkable $100 billion by the year 2030,” the minister said.

”The creative industries are the heartbeat of the new economy, serving as an engine of economic growth, a catalyst of change and a generator of employment opportunities.

“We are uniquely positioned in this great nation, endowed with an abundance of human capital and boundless possibilities.

“Our transformation team has delved deep into the very fabric of this sector, understanding its dynamics, seizing up the opportunities it presents and benchmarking against model countries and sectors.

“Our collective aim is singular, and it is bold: to position Nigeria as the world’s culture, creativity and entertainment capital.

Musawa said Nigeria’s cultural influence would transcend borders as a brand that will unite Nigerians across all initiatives.

“We have created a brand that will unite us across all initiatives as both our overall strategic direction and our soft power initiative,” the minister said.

“Destination 2030, Nigeria Everywhere will promote our culture and showcase our creators to the world, establishing Nigeria as the leading global hub for arts, culture, and creativity.”

On his part, Vice-President, Kashim Shettima reiterated the federal government’s resolve to empower the nation’s best talents and harness the unconstrained potential within the country’s diverse cultural tapestry.

“More than ever, we see the need to amplify the voices of our creative minds, empower our best talents, and harness the unbridled potential that lies within the folds of Nigeria’s diverse cultural tapestry,” Shettima said.

The vice-president, who acknowledged that the creative and entertainment sector had remained neglected in the past, thanked the industry’s stakeholders and key players for their huge contributions to the nation’s creative economy.

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Yahaya Bello: EFCC Confirms Refund Of $760,000 From American International School Abuja

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The American International School in Abuja has reimbursed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the amount of $760,910 that it was previously paid by former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello for his children’s advanced school fees.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson, verified this on Saturday.

The school requested the anti-graft agency’s “authentic banking details” in a letter dated October 24, 2022, in order to pay the reimbursement “as part of investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family.”

The sum of $845,852 was said to be paid to the school between September 2021 and October 2022. The school said it deducted the educational services rendered between the period, with the remaining amount being $760,910.

The EFCC is prosecuting Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion. The matter is before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

EFCC chief Ola Olukoyede, who vowed to prosecute Bello or resign, alleged that the embattled ex-governor withdrew $720,000 from the state’s accounts to pay his child’s school fees in advance just before he left office on January 27, 2024.

The anti-graft commission had declared Bello wanted after his successor, Governor Usman Ododo allegedly whisked him away on April 17, 2024, preventing EFCC operatives to arrest him (Bello) when they laid siege to his Abuja residence.

Meanwhile, a Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja has ordered EFCC chairman to appear in court on May 13, 2024, to show cause why an order of committal should not be made against him for allegedly disobeying court order.

The EFCC boss is facing a contempt charge for carrying out “some acts upon which they (the EFCC) have been restrained” by the Court on February 9, 2024, pending the determination of the substantive Originating Motion.

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Yahaya Bello: Kogi Court Summons EFCC Chairman Olukoyede Over Alleged Contempt

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Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been directed by a Kogi State High Court in Lokoja to appear in court on May 13, 2024, to provide justification for not having an order of committal placed against him for allegedly defying a court order.

A contempt charge has been brought against the EFCC chairman for executing “some acts upon which they (the EFCC) have been restrained” by the Court on February 9, 2024, while the Originating Motion’s merits are being determined.

Justice I. A. Jamil, delivering a ruling in Suit No: HCL/68M/2024 and Motion No: HCL/190M/2024, ordered that “the said act was carried out by the Respondent (EFCC) in violation of the order, which was valid and subsisting when they carried out the act. That same act of the Respondent amounts to Contempt.

EFCC operatives had laid siege on the residence of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, as early as 8 am on April 17, 2024, with a bid to arrest him, despite a court order restraining them from taking such action, pending the determination of the Originating Motion.

Justice Jamil’s order was based on a motion ex-parte filed by Yahaya Bello through his lawyer, M.S. Yusuf, where he prayed to the court for an order to issue and serve the Respondent (EFCC Chairman) with Form 49 Notice to show cause why Order of committal should not be made on Olukoyede.

Having listened to the arguments of the Applicant’s counsel, the submission and the exhibits attached in the Written Address, Justice Jamil granted Yahaya Bello’s prayers and ordered Olukoyede to be summoned to appear before the court to answer the contempt charge.

Delivering his order on the motion on April 25, 2024, Justice Jamil said, “The applicant’s application before me is to the effect that the Respondent has carried out some acts upon which they have been restrained by this Court on the 9th of February, 2024, pending the determination of the substantive motion on Notice before this Court.

“That the said act was carried out by the Respondent in violation of the order which was valid and subsisting when they carried out those acts. That same acts of the Respondent amount to acts of contempt.

“That the Respondent should be summoned to appear before this Court to answer to the contempt charge.

“It’s against the above facts that this Court hereby grants the prayers sought in line with the principle of “Audi Ultra Patem”. To wit:

“An order of this Honourable Court for the issuance of Form 49 Notice to show cause why an order of committal should not be made against the Executive Chairman of the Respondent – Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“An order for service of Form 49-Notice to show why an order of committal should not be made on the Executive Chairman of the Respondent – Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at EFCC Corporate Headquarters, Plot 301/302, Research and Institution District, Abuja.

“This matter is adjourned to the 13th of May, 2024 for the Respondent’s Chairman to appear before this Court in answer to form 49 ordered to be served on him.”

 

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Naira Depreciates Because I Was Out Of The Country — Odumeje

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The Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry’s Prophet Chukwuemeka Ohanemere, popularly known as Odumeje, declared that he had returned to Nigeria in an effort to halt the dollar’s appreciation relative to the Nigerian Naira.

Odumeje, in a video recorded at the airport while returning from London, boasted: “This is Indaboski Bahose. The war and the battle. A man full of power and activities. The only man who tells you, “I will bring down a dollar,” and he gets it done. When I left the country, dollar began to rise; now, I am back, I will continue where I stopped.”

In a video recording of one of his church programmes a few weeks ago, the self-acclaimed prophet had claimed that the exchange rate of dollar to naira came down because of one of his powers, which he dubbed ‘Abidoshaker.’

His claims came on the heels of the Nigerian currency’s significant gains after exchanging at N1,920 per dollar.

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