Creative sector to contribute 2.3% to GDP, add 2 million jobs by 2030 — FG

The Federal Government of Nigeria anticipates the creative sector to contribute approximately 2.3% to the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generate an additional 2 million jobs by 2030, as part of the Tinubu administration's Renewed Hope Agenda. Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, shared these projections during a visit from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS)'s Director-General, Professor Ayo Omotayo, and former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

Musawa discussed the ministry's efforts to establish the requisite policy and institutional framework to meet the creative economy's targets. The measures are part of broader initiatives to position the creative, cultural, and tourism sectors as key drivers of national economic growth. The minister disclosed that four drafting committees have been established to develop the necessary policy and financial structures required to cultivate Nigeria's creative industries.

Musawa emphasized that the Orange Economy, encompassing the creative, cultural, and cultural-heritage sectors, aligns with President Tinubu's economic diversification strategy. The creative sector presently accounts for roughly 1.2% to 2% of Nigeria's GDP and employs approximately 4.2 million individuals, rendering it one of the country's largest employers of labor.

The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Director-General, Ayo Omotayo, highlighted Nigeria's creative sector's potential to contribute up to $450 billion to the economy and assist President Bola Tinubu's objective of expanding Nigeria's GDP to $1 trillion by 2030. NIPSS has identified the creative sector as the final focus in its evaluation of sectors capable of supporting the $1 trillion economy goal.

Musawa stressed the necessity of repositioning the creative, cultural, and tourism sectors as genuine engines of national growth, moving them from the sidelines to the forefront of economic development. The National Institute's emphasis on the Orange Economy aims to explore the sector's potential to drive Nigeria's economic ambitions.

In May 2025, Musawa announced the Federal Ministry's goal of a $100 billion contribution to Nigeria's economy by 2030. The Federal Executive Council approved a memorandum seeking to monetize the country's tangible and intangible assets within the creative, cultural, and tourism industries, creating a new revenue stream to fuel economic growth.

This latest target reflects the Federal Government's overarching plan to boost the creative sector's economic contribution, enhance employment opportunities, and diversify Nigeria's economy.