SANWO-OLU SEEKS COOPERATION AMONG THE GOVT, INDUSTRY, AND ACADEMIA FOR CREATIVE ECONOMY

Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State, has urged collaboration between the public and private sectors, as well as academia and civil society, in order to create a future in which Lagos’ digital pulse will be felt all over the world.

At the Art of Technology (AOT) Lagos 5.0 Conference opening ceremony, which was held on Thursday at the Landmark Event Centre on Victoria Island, Lagos with the theme “The Creative Economy and a Digital Lagos,” Governor Sanwo-Olu gave the speech.

According to him, the Lagos State’s efforts to support the creative industry, including the Lagos Innovation Bill, a dedicated cohort of the Lagos State Science, Research, and Innovation Council (LASRIC) for the Creative Economy, and investments in infrastructure and technology, Lagos Film City, and collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to support intellectual property rights, have been successful.

Governor Sanwo-Olu pledged that his administration would move quickly to ensure that the Lagos Innovation Bill is signed into law by the first quarter of 2024. He also stated that, if passed into law, the bill would, among other things, increase employment opportunities in the creative industry, improve competitiveness, and promote economic development through the joint efforts of the government and all relevant parties in the sector.

“Lagos has solidified its status as Africa’s foremost fashion and creative hub, emblematic of our shared commitment to technological advancement,” the Governor stated. Interestingly, with an annual revenue exceeding $2 billion, the music industry has grown to become the second largest in Africa. The fact that our artists have won major awards like Grammys serves as a testament to this accomplishment, and the growth of international streaming services demonstrates the industry’s appeal on a global scale.

“We have solid numbers and data to support our journey towards a Digital Lagos driven by the Creative Economy. Government, business, academia, and civil society must work together in concert on this collective project. With our combined efforts, we will create a future in which creativity thrives, innovation is unrestricted, and Lagos’s digital pulse is felt all over the world”.

“I hope that the conversations that this conference has sparked and the conclusions that follow will lead to a threefold rise in the creative ecosystem’s worth. May this event act as a lighthouse, pointing the way towards a time when the coming together of creativity and technology will jointly shape a better future for the people of Lagos State”.

During the event, Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, made a promise that the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government would work together to use technology to develop the creative sector and create a digital Lagos that will benefit the state’s youth.

Tijani begged the Lagos State Government to turn open fields used for football across the state into smart fields that would be well-equipped for public exercises and gymnastics to positively engage the youth, pointing out that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has invested in the digital economy to create more employment.

The Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration’s support of Lagos State’s creative industry was praised by Nigerian actor and film producer Kunle Afolayan during his speech at the conference.