The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, earlier this year revealed that the review of Nigeria’s National Policy on Culture is nearing completion, marking a significant update after 37 years since the last revision.

This comprehensive review process has been conducted in collaboration with key organisations, including the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

To facilitate this critical initiative, a Cultural Policy Drafting Committee was established in July 2024. This committee comprises over 100 diverse members who have been organised into sub-groups, each tasked with researching, developing, and refining specific aspects of the policy framework. The collaborative effort aims to ensure that the new policy will be robust and reflective of Nigeria’s cultural landscape.

Musawa elaborated on the final stages of the review process, emphasising that the next steps involve preparing the policy for a crucial stakeholder engagement and validation exercise.

This will provide an opportunity for input from various stakeholders before the draft is submitted to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for formal approval.

The minister highlighted that this review is particularly timely as it aims to align the cultural policy with contemporary trends, especially the important transition from treating the creative sector merely as an industry to embracing it as a vital component of the creative economy.

While this development is a positive step forward, it is underscored by the criticism that such a crucial policy should have been prioritised much earlier, given that Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage has been a significant contributor to the nation’s economy. The cultural sector is not just an essential aspect of national identity; it is also a substantial employer that enhances the country’s GDP, making this policy review not only timely but also essential for sustainable economic growth.

A culture researcher and senior lecturer at the Department of Theatre and Film, University of Nigeria, Dr Ikechukwu Erojikwe, explained that the need to have a guiding principle, a policy for the culture sector, away from a strategy document, is highly imperative.

This cultural policy, according to him, should be creative, dynamic, and aggressive in line with international standards to create new opportunities that will change the narrative.

Ikechukwu stressed the need to fuel cultural industries with creativity, citing the lukewarm attitude of most state governors to culture as evident in the many dilapidated cultural structures in these states.

He noted that most countries have come to uphold cultural policy and its immense contributions to theatre, dance, film, and essentially how all these help to achieve some goals of the Sustainable Development Goals.

“By restructuring, a total overhaul of the system is needed. The effort will break the barriers of colonial mentality and usher in the frontiers of indigenous knowledge and engage griots, traditional encyclopaedias in preserving and protecting cultural heritage.

“The new position will change the narrative of fetish culture. Nigerian citizens will begin to realise that we were given a dud cheque by allowing colonial forces to separate us from our respective cultures,” he explained.

On the very abysmal funding of the cultural sector, Ikechukwu noted that the huge amount of money that will be used to rescue the cultural industry may be hard to appropriate.

“Though Nigeria is a signatory to many charters that seem to propagate healthy cultural enterprise and competitiveness, the unfortunate situation is that these policies are ineffectual because the right legal framework is not there. Unless the government takes courage and turns such policies into acts, then cultural administrators can make the right demands, become more creative, and more independent in making decisions and growing industry and enterprise,” he concluded.

The Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Obi Asika, disclosed that the process of finalising the cultural policy and the policy for the creative economy is currently underway and once completed, the focus will shift to implementation, which is crucial for the successful application of these policies.

He explained that efforts are already in play to assess the original cultural policy from 1988, to launch an updated version this year, in collaboration with UNESCO and all relevant stakeholders, including government agencies and private sector partners.

Asika noted that a critical aspect of this effort is securing adequate funding; stressing insufficient financial resources could significantly hinder the timely and effective implementation of the policy.

In his words: “Recognising the value of a robust cultural policy is vital, as it has the potential to not only expand the cultural sector but also generate considerable wealth for the nation. It is essential to engage these diverse groups to ensure a comprehensive approach to cultural development. The new policy framework aims to establish a clear and coherent roadmap that will be collaboratively embraced by leaders across various sectors.

“Importantly, the decision to allocate funds and support the cultural ecosystem extends beyond the minister’s authority. Although she may not have direct control over the budget, she has been instrumental in raising awareness and increasing visibility around the importance of cultural funding.

This heightened visibility is expected to facilitate greater investment in the sector, ultimately enhancing its growth and sustainability.” The Director General of the National Gallery of Arts, Ahmed Sodangi, expressed strong support for the minister’s initiative to review cultural policy, emphasing the importance of aligning it with advancing digital technology.

He highlighted that a thoughtfully implemented cultural policy could play a crucial role in safeguarding Nigeria’s rich traditional heritage, such as the Atilogwu dance of the Igbo, the Sharo Festival of the Fulani, and cultural landmarks like Osun-Osogbo, as well as unique tourist destinations including the sacred mangroves of the Niger Delta and the Sukur Cultural Landscape. These assets have the potential to attract significant international investment.

Sodangi also pointed out exploring sustainable funding mechanisms like public-private partnerships or establishing a cultural endowment fund could enhance the longevity of cultural initiatives, rather than relying solely on oil revenues or government budgets.

He remarked, “this policy has the potential to transform cultural assets into economic engines, fostering growth in sectors such as Nollywood, music, arts, and crafts. If managed with inclusivity, innovation, and accountability, the cultural policy could revitalize Nigeria’s cultural scene, preserve its heritage, stimulate economic growth, and promote unity among its people. Nigerians need to stay engaged and ensure that this initiative provides tangible benefits across all regions of the country.”

On September 22, 2024, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the “Pact for the Future”, acknowledging the important role that culture plays in achieving sustainable development goals.

This historic recognition of culture as an integral component of advancing a more equitable future for everyone is the result of UNESCO’s ongoing multilateral efforts and campaigning, notably at UNESCO’s international conference MONDIACULT 2022.

At the conference, the Heads of State and Government chose to place culture at the heart of their response to the strategic challenges of the century. This decision recognises the essential role this sector plays in the cohesion and transformation of societies. It is the result of an ambitious multilateral dialogue led by UNESCO, which must now compel us to make culture a fully-fledged sustainable development objective by 2030.

Across the world, promoting and safeguarding culture has led to economic development for communities. For example, in Mexico, renewed interest in traditional Mayan embroidery has meant Yucatán women artisans can build thriving textile businesses, based on this intangible cultural heritage. UNESCO is helping them develop finance and management skills so they can earn a better living.

Another example of how culture has benefitted artists financially can be found in Nigeria, and the thriving film industry established there. Filmmakers and content creators are now establishing major deals with international streaming companies, which include Amazon and Netflix. UNESCO is working to unleash the potential of the African creative industries, and according to recent report, the audiovisual industry has the potential to add US$20 billion to the continent’s combined GDP.

These are just two examples of the economic and social impact culture can have when communities and countries invest in it. By adopting the “Pact for the Future”, states have explicitly identified culture as an “action point” within the UN sustainable development agenda for the first time. The Pact calls for the integration of culture into economic, social, and environmental policies. It also aims to strengthen international cooperation on the return or restitution of cultural properties.