RismadarVoice Reporters
September 12, 2026
The Federal Government of Nigeria has set a target of creating two million jobs in Nigeria’s creative industry by 2030 as part of efforts to transform the country’s cultural resources and creative talent into sustainable businesses.
The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, disclosed this on Friday at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Kano Creative Summit organised by the National Theatre.
The two-day summit, themed “Beyond Lagos: Unlocking Northern Nigeria’s Creative Economy,” focused on strengthening the creative sector in Northern Nigeria and equipping practitioners with skills to build sustainable enterprises.
Musawa urged creative practitioners to take ownership of their works, strengthen their business structures and maximise intellectual property to generate sustainable income.
She identified Kano’s traditional dyeing, leatherwork, weaving, embroidery, blacksmithing, performing arts and Kannywood film industry as major creative assets capable of contributing significantly to the economy if properly organised and commercialised.
According to the minister, Kano had maintained a vibrant creative economy for centuries, long before the concept became part of formal economic policy.
She also highlighted Kannywood’s growing international reach among Hausa-speaking communities across West Africa and other parts of the world, saying its contribution should be recognised alongside Nollywood as part of Nigeria’s global film industry.
Musawa noted Kano’s historical contributions to literature and modern Nigerian art, including the work of female novelists who produced and sold books in local markets from the 1950s and artists associated with the Zaria Art Society.
She said the appointment of Kannywood actor and filmmaker Ali Nuhu as Director-General of the Nigerian Film Corporation reflected efforts to involve industry practitioners in institutional leadership.
However, Musawa identified weak commercial structures, inadequate ownership systems and limited access to markets as major challenges restricting the ability of creative workers to benefit financially from their talents.
She said some traditional craft practitioners were abandoning their occupations because the income generated was no longer sufficient to sustain their livelihoods.
The minister said the Federal Government was addressing the challenges through its creative economy programmes, including an eight-point plan and Destination 2030, which targets two million jobs in the sector by 2030.
She added that taking the National Theatre’s creative summit to Kano was part of efforts to ensure that opportunities in Nigeria’s creative economy extend beyond Lagos and Abuja.
Musawa urged young creatives across Northern Nigeria to build viable businesses around their talents and preserve the region’s cultural industries as sustainable sources of employment and income.
