Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) has commended the Federal Government’s efforts for improving the nation’s creative economy assets to attract domestic and foreign investors.
NFC said this in a statement issued by its Director, Public Affairs, Mr Brian Etuk in Abuja on Wednesday.
Etuk said Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NFC, Dr Ali Nuhu,
made the commendation at a Nigeria’s delegation meeting.
The meeting was attended by Mr Sun Yeli, the Minister of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, and Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Barr Hannatu Musawa.
Nuhu commended Federal Government’s effort in leveraging cross border opportunities to unlock, promote and grow the country’s creative economy.
The NFC boss said Musawa’s foresight, determination and drive in improving the nations creative economy assets to attract both domestic and foreign investors were commendable.
He said the meeting aimed at strengthening the existing relations, enhancement of a robust and sustainable people- to- people exchanges, utilising the rich and distinctive cultures, creative and tourism assets of both countries.
He said the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy’s efforts focused on improving the offerings of Nigeria’s creative sectors.
According to him, the improvement includes innovative approaches, support structures and reforms that have enabled the inflow of domestic and offshore partnerships and increased investments.
Nuhu added that the minister informed her host of the need for both countries to expeditiously engage, initiate and activate all provisions of the existing memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cultural exchanges between both countries.
According to him, this includes the outcomes of the recent visit by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu to China.
The film corporation boss highlighted the global impact of Nigeria’s creative industries and the inherent great opportunities for a stronger and sustainable cross border partnerships and collaborations.
He further commended and requested for the recommencement of the human capital support and scholarship scheme for lecturers of the National Film Institute (NFI) under the Students/Lecturer Educational Exchange Programme at the Beijing Film Academy.
“The programme, which was initiated in 2006, but unfortunately discontinued six years after.
“I am equally highlighting for the grant funding of the Safe Nigeria Audio-Visual Heritage preservation, digitisation and archiving project being undertaken by the NFC at the National Film, Video and Sound Archive (NFVSA).
” There is need to promote the exhibition, marketing, financing, film co-production and value chain exchanges through the participation of the People’s Republic of China at the annual Nigeria’s ZUMA international film festival held in Abuja nation’s capital,” he said.
Responding, Mr Yeli averred that Nigeria and China would continue to exert significant and great impact on the world creative economy by promoting strong export growth in creative goods and services.
According to him, China was excitedly ready to engage and uphold her cultural relations with Nigeria.
” For Nigeria, the nudge to further grow the creative sectors is being achieved through domestic and offshore collaborative partnerships, innovative government policy frameworks that support technological advancements, as well as a friendly and safe investment environment”.
