Theatre, Motion Pictures Contributed N154bn to Nigeria’s GDP in 2023, Says TAMPAN

James Sowole in Abeokuta

The Theatre and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) yesterday disclosed that motion picture and music recording accounted for about N154 billion, roughly $197.6 million, of Nigeria’s GDP in 2023. 

 The association also disclosed that Netflix had claimed to have supported 5,140 jobs and invested over $23 million in the Nigerian film industry during the year under review. 

 The Global President of TAMPAN, Chief Bolaji Amusan, disclosed this yesterday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at a press conference for the unveiling of the logo of the forthcoming national conference of the association.

The conference, tagged EKO 2025, has as its theme, ‘Maximising the Potential of Arts and Creativity in Addressing National Challenges,’ and will be held next month at LTV 8 and the University of Lagos.

 Flanked by other Executive Council members, Amusan said the 2025 conference will not be a mere jamboree.

 According to him, the conference will provide an opportunity to espouse the possible contributions of the creative sector towards solving some of the fundamental challenges of the nation.

 He said Nigeria’s creative industry is capable of addressing many challenges, including the problem of unemployment bedevilling the nation.

 “Between 2021 and 2023, the Nigerian box office generated a cumulative revenue of N19 billion. 

 “In 2021, revenue from the box office was N4.74 billion, it rose to N6.94 billion in 2022, and N7.24 billion in 2023. 

“The creative industries, including film, music, fashion, visual arts, and digital media can contribute significantly to economic diversification. By promoting local talent and creative exports, these industries can generate income and create jobs. 

“The creative sector currently employs about 4.2 million people in Nigeria. It has however been projected that the creative sector could create an additional 2.7 million jobs within the next 4–5 years if its potentials are properly harnessed.” 

“There is no better time than now to appraise the capacity of the creative sector to contribute to the efforts of the government to solve many problems confronting Nigeria.

“Previous diagnoses have identified our long dependence on the oil economy as the bane of the slow growth and development of our nation.  It is not an over-statement therefore, to say that Nigeria’s dependency on oil exports has led to vulnerability to global oil price fluctuations and hindered the growth of other sectors. As a result of the consequential slow growth, unemployment rates have become so alarming. The failure of other sectors such as education has also continued to increase the number of unemployable persons, especially among the youth demography. 

“All these have conspired to promote socio-political and economic instability and social unrest.

“Nigeria’s creative industry has a lot of potential that can be leveraged to address the various challenges facing the nation, such potentials include, the diversification of our economy as well as the creation of employment opportunities and jobs,” Amusan explained.

Amusan commended the Lagos State Government and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the unflinching support for the practitioners and the association over the years particularly, towards hosting of the national conference.

“The choice of Lagos State is strategic. Lagos State under Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has done so much within the last six years to reposition the creative sector. Due to the support enjoyed by many creative entrepreneurs from the Lagos State Government, the entertainment industry in Nigeria has been greatly impacted and many jobs created,” he added.