Entertainment
‘Nigeria Realised $104m From Film, Music In 2019’
Nigeria’s creative industry has been described as the fastest growing sector of the economy with $ 53 Million and $ 51 Million accrued last year from film and music respectively.
The minister for information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed disclosed this said in terms of business opportunities, employment and earnings, the entertainment industry is an unexplored keg of potentialities.
The minister stated this during a working visit to the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation( NTDC) headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday. He said the film industry is the least untapped.
“Today we have 53 cinema houses with less than 200 screens,but for a population of 200 million people, we need a minimum of 1000 cinema houses and 6000 screens.You can i imagine Nigeria made, $53 million last year from the film industry under 200 screens, how much more when we have 6000 screens. Our music is growing, we are looking at $ 86 million next year”, he said.
“ We need to work harder so that we can actually actualize the potentials of this industry and make It not just the fastest growing sector in Nigeria, but also increase our Gross Domestic Product(GDP) from 1.24 percent, the industry accounts for 2.24 percent of our GDP. This can actually grow to 3 percent of the GDP”, he said.
He charged the Tourism Agency to harness the huge potentials of the industry to attract people to Nigeria, because there are many reasons people should come to Nigeria.
Nigeria is a country of colours with 250 ethnic groups, good culture and almost a year round of good weather.
“We are blessed with a good music industry that has become global and even Nollywood is the second best in the world, our fashion is celebrated globally, adding that the Visa on Arrival policy for African nationals which began operation this year is an added advantage to explore”, he said.
The minister said the tourism sector could generate more revenue into government coffers and increase the fortune in the industry.
Earlier in his address, the Director General of NDTC,Folorunsho Coker said the agency was working on a framework that would reposition It on it on a new path of growth.
“ NTDC has in the last two and a half years been focusing on the new framework, because It is important to have a framework for tourism exploration “,he said.
Given the agency’s progress report, he said the “ Tour Nigeria “and” Nigeria Flavour “twin program he created in 2017 are driving to their full potential to promote domestic tourism.
Highlighting the agency’s roadmap for tourism promotion and development,Mr.Coker said tourism would move very rapidly to grow the country’s economy. The roadmap was named CHIEF,C=corporate and regularity, H=Human capital development, I=Infrastructural development, E=Event and marketing and F=Financing and investment.
Popular businessman and socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, aka Cubana Chief Priest, has said that his relationship with singer Davido is beyond money and gossip.
He stated this in a recent interview with BBC Igbo.
“Davido is my friend. He is my in-law; he married Chioma who is from Imo State where I hail from.
“So the relationship I have with Davido is beyond money and gossip,” he said.
DAILY POST reports that Chief Priest disclosed via his Instagram page that his outfit for the wedding of the singer, Davido and his wife, Chioma, in Lagos on Tuesday cost seven million Naira.
The socialite recently appreciated Davido for not “discarding” Chioma.
He stated that the DMW boss has made Imo State proud by choosing to marry from the state.
Nigerian singer Simisola Kosoko, popularly known as Simi, has lent her voice to the ongoing anti-tax hike protests in Kenya.
The Tide’s source reports that Kenyan youths are marching against tax hike in widespread demonstrations tagged ‘RejectFinanceBill2024.’
Five people were shot dead and dozens wounded after police clashed with protesters who stormed the parliament building in Nairobi on Tuesday, according to Amnesty Kenya.
Reacting via her X handle on Tuesday night, Simi declared her support for the demonstrators.
She stated that “it is both powerful and heartbreaking for a people to have to fight and die for freedoms and rights.”
The singer wrote, “I stand with the people of Kenya. It is both powerful and heartbreaking for a people to have to fight and die for freedoms and rights. Godspeed and Strength. [Hash tag] RejectFinanceBill2024.”
In a series of other posts, she wrote: “Wow. When you’ve had enough, the fight is almost inevitable.
“African leaders- have not you done enough?
“I can’t wait for the day Africa is not a weapon fashioned against Africans. All of this amazing Black power and human resource, but the majority are not likely to thrive unless they run.”
Famous Nigerian Afrobeat singer, Davido was spotted among other top artistes at Asake’s ‘Lungu Boy’ tour concert in Atlanta, Georgia.
Asake’s performance at his sold-out show at the 17,000-capacity State Farm Arena in Atlanta began on August 16, 2024, and is set to run for 10 days.
In a trending video on social media, Davido appeared backstage with American rapper Quavo to support Asake during the live performance.
Other musicians in attendance included Nigerian hitmaker Zlatan and American rapper Russ Millions.
The Tide’s source reports that Asake’s ‘Lungu Boy’ tour is set to cover six U.S. cities, where he will headline notable venues including Madison Square Garden in New York, the Toyota Center in Houston, and the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Asake’s tour comes just days after the release of his latest hit, ‘Lungu Boy,’ which features several superstars, including Wizkid, British rappers Central Cee and Stormzy, Travis Scott and Brazilian singer Ludmilla.
‘Lungu Boy’ set a new record for the biggest opening week on Spotify Nigeria, garnering 18.9 million streams in its opening week and breaking the previous record of 14.4 million streams held by Davido’s ‘Timeless.’
