According to Federal Government’s Post Covid-19 Initiative on the Creative Industry, the fashion industry, hospitality and tourism industries all contributed over N3.2 trillion to the national economy.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Thursday, gave insight to the report, which was recently submitted by the committee. The committee is being led by famous comedian, Ali Baba.
Lai Mohammed, who was a guest on the NAN Forum in Abuja, noted that these recommendations by the committee, were set up to advise the Federal Government, on how to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on the creative industry.
He disclosed: “Before now, we did not know that the fashion industry accounts for almost N2 trillion revenue that the hospitality and tourism industry accounts for about N1.2 trillion.
“The publishing and printing industry accounts for almost N1 trillion and about N720 billion worth of books and paper enter the country annually.
“The film industry accounts for about N140 billion, the music industry revenue is over N300 billion while the comedy industry accounts for about N17 billion,” he said.
The minister said that besides the revenues generated, the report revealed how many people were employed by each sector.
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“You will be amazed that though the film industry account for only N140 billion, it employs almost half a million people.
“The broadcast and advertising industry which I think accounts for another N500 billion also employs almost 500,000 people.
“The beauty and hair care industry does not only account for about 30,000 practitioners, also about 15,000 pieces of hair care, beauty care are sold every month in Nigeria.
“We are also able to find out through that report that under hospitality industry, about 20,000 events take place every month only in Lagos while in the year 2016, about 1.9 million events were held.”
The minister said the report detailed how the COVID-19 pandemic had negatively impacted on the various industries and suggested what could be done to kick-start and sustain their growth.
Specifically, he said the distancing rules have affected the ability to go out to shoot, produce and distribute films while the lockdown affected musical concerts and invitation of musicians to social functions.
“The same goes for the fashion industry because there is nothing to trigger demand for the hair and beauty care. Of course, when there are no parties and with the face masks the people are putting on, the demand for the products has gone down,” he noted.
The minister applauded the committee members for their selfless and detailed work, in mapping out and giving value to the industries. He also assured that the report would not be kept secret.
