Building Nigeria’s Creative Future through UK–Nigeria Technology Hub Creative Fund – THISDAYLIVE

Nigeria’s creative industries have captured global attention, but beneath the success lies a persistent gap in technical capacity and local production infrastructure. With the launch of the UK–Nigeria Technology Hub Creative Fund, a new effort is underway to bridge that divide by equipping filmmakers, designers, and musicians with the tools, skills, and support needed to produce world-class work at home while unlocking greater economic value for the country. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports 

Nigeria’s creative economy has long thrived on raw talent, global appeal and an instinctive ability to tell stories that travel. From Nollywood’s prolific output to Afrobeats’ dominance on international charts and the growing visibility of Nigerian fashion, the sector has become one of the country’s most recognisable exports.

 Yet behind the success lies a persistent structural challenge: limited technical capacity, constrained access to finance, and an overreliance on foreign expertise for high-value production work.

It is this gap that the UK Government is now seeking to address through the launch of the UK–Nigeria Technology Hub Creative Fund, a targeted grants initiative designed to strengthen technical capacity across Nigeria’s film, fashion, and music industries.

 Positioned as a first-phase intervention, the fund aims to ensure that more of Nigeria’s creative output can be produced, refined, and scaled within the country.

At its core, the initiative is not just about funding projects; it is about reshaping the foundations of how creative work is produced in Nigeria.

From Talent to Technical Capacity

The Creative Fund is designed to support the development of local digital production capacity, encourage the adoption of modern creative technologies, and promote the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

These priorities reflect a growing recognition that while Nigeria’s creative sector is rich in ideas and talent, it often lacks the technical infrastructure required to compete at the highest global standards.

The initiative aligns with the UK–Nigeria Economic Transformation and Investment Partnership (ETIP) Creatives Working Group, launched in March 2025, and delivers on commitments made during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s State Visit to the United Kingdom in March 2026. 

In practical terms, it represents a shift from policy discussions to measurable action.

According to Ndidiamaka Eze

Senior Press & Public Affairs Officer | Comms Lead, Growth, Trade and Investment, Nigeria Network, the goal is to ensure that high-potential creative projects have access to the tools, talent, and systems required to deliver professional-quality output locally—reducing the need to outsource critical aspects of production abroad.

Evidence Behind the Intervention

The rationale for the fund is grounded in data. Findings from the State of the Creative Innovation Ecosystem in Nigeria study conducted in 2024 provide a clear picture of both the sector’s scale and its constraints. 

Drawing on more than 1,700 survey responses and fieldwork across seven states, the report estimates that Nigeria’s creative economy employs approximately 4.2 million people and contributes around US$3 billion to the country’s GDP annually.

Despite these impressive figures, the underlying ecosystem remains fragile. More than 80 per cent of practitioners are self-taught, fewer than 10 per cent have access to formal financing, and a significant portion of high-value technical work, such as visual effects, advanced sound engineering, and post-production, is routinely carried out outside Nigeria.

These gaps not only limit the sector’s growth but also result in lost economic value, as revenue that could be retained locally is instead exported.

Bridging the Gap Through Targeted Support

The Creative Fund is structured to directly address these challenges. It will support high-potential projects across three key industries, film, fashion, and music, focusing on initiatives that demonstrate clear potential for impact, scalability, and job creation.

Beyond general funding, the scheme is designed to close specific technical gaps. This includes subsidising access to critical specialists such as VFX artists, sound engineers, post-production editors, and design professionals.

 It also covers investment in digital tools and infrastructure, including digital asset management systems, content delivery platforms, digital rights management solutions, and AI-driven production technologies.

The intention is clear: to enable Nigerian creatives to produce world-class content without leaving the country.

Oyinkansola Akintola-Bello, Director of the UK–Nigeria Tech Hub, underscored this point, stating that “Nigeria’s creative sector already delivers real economic value, and both governments have committed under the UK–Nigeria Economic Transformation and Investment Partnership to supporting its growth. 

“Through the ETIP Creatives Working Group, we are moving from ambition to action. The Creative Fund is a practical first-phase intervention that addresses critical gaps in skills, infrastructure, and access to advanced tools, enabling Nigerian creatives to produce and scale high-quality work locally.”

Her remarks highlight the broader ambition behind the initiative, to transition from recognising the sector’s potential to actively building the systems that will sustain its growth.

Inclusion and Access at the Centre

Implementation of the fund is being led by Tech4Dev, a nonprofit organisation with a track record in advancing digital skills and access to economic opportunities across Africa. For the organisation, the Creative Fund is not only about strengthening industry capacity but also about widening participation.

Abraham Akpan, Tech4Dev’s Country Manager for Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasised the importance of inclusion in the programme’s design.

“The creative industries are a core part of the digital economy, bringing together technology, culture, and entrepreneurship. 

“This Fund is about ensuring that Nigeria’s creative success is underpinned by sustainable local talent and capacity, while deliberately expanding access to tools, skills, and finance for those who have been historically excluded. By prioritising women-led enterprises, youth-led ventures, and underrepresented groups, the fund embeds inclusion into every stage of delivery.”

This focus reflects a broader understanding that sustainable growth in the creative sector depends not only on infrastructure but also on equitable access to opportunities.

A Shift Towards Local Value Retention

One of the most significant implications of the Creative Fund lies in its potential to reverse a long-standing trend: the outsourcing of high-value creative work. For years, Nigerian creatives have relied on foreign studios and technical teams to complete critical aspects of production, from visual effects to advanced editing.

While this has enabled projects to meet international standards, it has also meant that a substantial portion of the value generated by the industry is realised outside Nigeria.

By investing in local capacity, the fund aims to change this dynamic. If successful, it could lead to the emergence of a more self-sustaining ecosystem, one in which Nigerian creatives not only generate ideas but also control the full production process.

Encouraging Responsible Innovation

Another notable aspect of the initiative is its emphasis on the responsible use of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. Selected projects will be encouraged to explore how AI can be applied in areas such as production, storytelling, and content innovation.

This approach reflects a careful balancing act: embracing the efficiency and creative possibilities offered by new technologies while ensuring that their use aligns with ethical and professional standards.

As global debates around AI continue to evolve, Nigeria’s creative sector is being positioned not just as a participant, but as a contributor to shaping how these tools are used in practice.

Looking Ahead

Applications for the Creative Fund are now open and will be accepted on a rolling basis, allowing a steady pipeline of projects to benefit from the programme over time. 

The eligibility criteria are broad, covering creative companies, studios, production houses, fashion enterprises, and music labels with clearly defined technical needs.

Projects will be assessed based on quality, potential for local and international impact, and the applicant’s commitment to co-investment—an approach that encourages both accountability and sustainability.

While the fund represents only a first-phase intervention, its significance extends beyond immediate outputs. It signals a growing recognition, both within Nigeria and among its international partners, that the creative sector is not merely a cultural asset, but a critical component of economic transformation.

If effectively implemented, the UK–Nigeria Technology Hub Creative Fund could mark the beginning of a new phase for Nigeria’s creative industries, one defined not just by global visibility, but by strengthened local capacity, deeper value retention, and a more inclusive path to growth.

Caption

Oyinkansola Akintola-Bello, Director of the UK–Nigeria Tech Hub