Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, on Tuesday, called for stronger and collaboration between government and the creative industry stakeholders to unlock the sector’s economic potential and create jobs.

Hamzat made the call at the inauguration of the Euphoria 360 Hub, a one-stop entertainment facility, in Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos.

He said that the State Government would continue to partner with stakeholders in the creative industry by strengthening skills development, expand training opportunities, and provide the necessary infrastructure to support their growth.

”A stronger collaboration between government and entertainment stakeholders is necessary to address the challenges limiting the creative industry and enable practitioners derive commensurate economic benefits from their talents,” he said.

According to him, the global creative industry generates about four trillion dollars in revenue annually, while Africa accounts for only 1.7 per cent, inspite of its rich storytelling tradition.

“We are the storytellers. This means we are doing something wrong.

“That is why there has to be a better collaboration between the government, the experts, and the entertainment stakeholders,” he said.

Hamzat disclosed that Lagos had signed an agreement with the State of California, because of the economic impact of Hollywood on the state.

He said California’s creative industry had demonstrated how entertainment could generate revenue and create jobs, noting that Hollywood contributed significantly to the state’s economy.

Hamzat also noted that the global creative industry created about 15 million jobs, which made investment in the sector a priority for African countries.

“For us as Africans, it is in our interest to invest in this project,” he said.

The deputy governor said that Lagos was developing its human capacity to serve the global market, given its large population of young people.

He acknowledged that some skilled Nigerians would continue to relocate abroad, but stressed that Lagos could position itself as a major pipeline for global talent.

Hamzat said the state had already applied the same approach to the health sector, where it sought to increase the number of doctors trained annually.

He said Lagos currently had about 7,200 doctors and planned to increase the figure to between 9,000 and 10,000 by 2031.

The deputy governor disclosed that Lagos was also developing theatre infrastructure in Ikorodu and Badagry to provide platforms that would enable creative practitioners monetise their talents.

He said talent was not the major challenge facing Africa, but that practitioners need to understand contracts and other aspects of the business to protect their intellectual property.

“Talent is never the problem in Africa. We have the talents. But people must understand how the contracts work, so that they don’t sell their ideas to somebody else.

“That person now makes the money and you that owns the idea will be left with peanuts,” Hamzat said.

He urged the relevant ministry to engage more closely with creative practitioners to identify their challenges and determine how government could support the industry without interfering with its operations.

He commended the establishment of the Euphoria 360 Hub, saying more facilities of its kind were needed across Lagos.

“We must turn the creative industry into a money machine in this part of the world,” he said.

Hamzat said that the state was committed to training more people in creative and emerging technology fields, which includes: photography, film, acting, artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity and blockchain technology.

He said the broader plan was to train about one million Lagosians, but stressed that such training must be linked to employment opportunities.

Hamzat said Nigeria could leverage its large population and creative talent to provide services to global companies without necessarily requiring young Nigerians to relocate abroad.

He cited Nigerians working remotely for American companies as an example of how the country could earn foreign exchange through its human capital.

“That’s what we can do. Because the reality is we are bigger in numbers than most European countries.”

In his goodwill message, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Mr Sunday Dare, said the Nigerian entertainment industry was a powerful force that had significantly enhanced Nigeria’s visibility and global influence.

According to Dare,  the sector needs more support from the government as it has the capacity to engage and create job opportunities for a large number of young people.

Earlier, Femi Adebayo, an actor, filmmaker and founder of the Euphoria 360 Hub, said the facility was established to provide a one-stop destination for producers, filmmakers, creators, film seekers and event planners.

Adebayo said the facility would enable practitioners to access quality services and the resources needed to produce and deliver world-class projects in one location.

“Today, the entire industry gets a new address, and a new era begins right here.

“We built this place for one reason, so our producers, filmmakers, creators, film seekers and event planners no longer have to chase quality from one place to another just to bring one project to life,” he said.

Adebayo described the facility as a one-stop hub for entertainment, where practitioners could access the resources required for their projects under one roof.

He said the facility represented a new chapter for the entertainment industry and expressed hope that it would contribute to the growth of the sector.

Veteran filmmaker, Tunde Kelani urged practitioners in Nigeria’s creative industry to embrace technology while preserving the country’s culture, history and traditions.

Kelani warned that technological advancement, including artificial intelligence, must not erode Nigeria’s culture, history and traditions.

Also, a veteran actor, Richard Mofe-Damijo commended the Lagos State Government for its commitment to partner with the creative industry to drive its growth and development.