Showbiz
Osinbajo to Headline Creative Industry Financing Summit
**As FG Partners CNN, UNWTO
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Acting President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, will declare open the Creative Industry Financing Conference slated for July 17 and 18, 2017, at the Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos.
Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, made this disclosure on Monday at a roundtable with practitioners in the creative sector in Nigeria.
At the meeting today, the Minister said the Federal Government has entered into a tripartite partnership with the CNN and the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to boost the Creative Industry in Nigeria, using the film industry as a pivot.
He said the movie industry would be used “as a lens through which we will project various aspects of the Nigerian Culture, Tourism and similar areas.”
”We are kick-starting the project with a 13-episode production showcasing the various stages in a movie production.
“These include the choice of location, which will allow us to showcase the various beautiful sceneries available in Nigeria; the choice of wardrobe that will show the rich options in the country’s fashion industry; the choice of sound track that will highlight our rich music genres, the casting that will showcase our abundant talents and the technical part that will provide the platform to show that there is no camera and other gadgets that we don’t have here.
”As part of the project, we will also run a programme on CNN showcasing the 20 Nigerians to watch in the Industry. The Nigerians to be showcased will be selected by the industry players themselves to ensure authenticity,” the Minister said.
He said the tripartite partnership, as well as the MoUs with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, the Bank of Industry and the British Council, were part of the efforts by the Federal Government to transform the Creative Industry to a Creative Economy.
Mr Mohammed said that he organized the Creative Industry Roundtable, which was well attended by industry players, to show the Federal Government’s willingness to work with the private sector in the transformation of the Creative Industry to a Creative Economy.
“This administration has no doubt that the plan to transform the creative industry to a creative economy must be driven by the private sector.
“After all, it is self-evident that the modest growth that has been achieved in the Creative Industry so far, whether in films, music or fashion, has been achieved in spite of the government.
“It therefore stands to reason that with the government providing the necessary enabling environment and the private sector in the driver’s seat, the transformation can be realized within a short time,” he said.
The Minister said the roundtable was not intended as another talk shop, adding that, “The stakeholders who are here are already aware of the problems mitigating against the seamless growth of the industry, hence I don’t expect us to spend quality time here today rehashing those problems. Instead, we should devote our time to seeking practical solutions to the problems we have earlier identified at many fora.”
Mr Mohammed reiterated his earlier statement that the Creative Industry is Nigeria’s new oil, saying statistics from other countries, including the UK and the US, attest to this.
“The Creative industry contributed £84.1 billion to the British economy in 2014. According to figures released by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, that was an increase of £7 billion on the year before.
“The figures also show that the number of jobs in the industry grew by almost 9 percent between 2013 and 2014 – almost double the rest of the economy as a whole (4.6 percent).
“One of the areas of strongest growth was in film, TV, video, radio and photography, which rose almost 14 percent.
”In the United States, the Creative Industry, including Hollywood and broadcasting, contributes more to the U.S. economy than previously thought, the government said in its first official analysis of the arts and culture sector’s economic value.
“The 2015 report from the National Endowment for the Arts and US Bureau of Economic Analysis shows arts and culture contributed more than $698 billion to the economy, which is about 4.32 percent of US goods and services,” he said.
Mr Mohammed said the deliberations from the roundtable would feed into a larger event, the Creative Industry Financing Conference, slated for 17-18 July at the Eko Hotel in Lagos.
“To highlight the importance attached to this sector by the Federal Government, no less a personality than the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, will declare that Conference open,” he said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A 12-hour non-stop entertainment event offering various performances and activities all night long will take place in Lagos from the evening of December 21 into the early hours of December 22, 2025.
This programme known as InsomniaQ, is being put together by one of Africa’s leading digital payments platforms, Quickteller.
Quickteller is a brand powered by the Interswitch Group, and InsomniaQ was created to celebrate African creativity.
The all-night music and entertainment experience will hold at the Ballroom of the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island.
It is designed to capture the vibrancy and cultural energy that define Lagos in December. InsomniaQ is positioned to become Africa’s newest must-attend December destination.
The concert blends diverse African soundscapes, creative expression, and immersive lifestyle experiences, offering a night curated for music lovers, diaspora returnees, cultural enthusiasts, and everyone drawn to the city’s festive season.
More than a concert, InsomniaQ represents a new cultural moment, one that celebrates the richness, depth, and diversity of African talent. With a lineup cutting across contemporary and alternative genres, the festival aims to introduce a bold, fresh, and unforgettable experience within Lagos’ already vibrant entertainment landscape.
“InsomniaQ is an invitation to celebrate African creativity in a way that feels bold, fresh, and true to who we are.
“Quickteller has always been an essential part of the experiences people value, and this festival brings that connection to life in an entirely new dimension.
“As Lagos welcomes friends, family, and visitors from around the world each December, we are proud to introduce a platform that showcases our music, our culture, and the vibrant energy that defines this season,” the Divisional Head of Growth Marketing for Quickteller Ecosystem at Interswitch, Mr Olawale Akanbi, noted.
Through Quickteller, Interswitch continues to champion initiatives that go beyond digital transactions to enrich the everyday life of millions of Nigerians.
InsomniaQ extends this mission by empowering cultural expression, unlocking creative opportunities, and supporting the continent’s growing entertainment ecosystem.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The quartet of Oyindamola Timothy (Fashion), Steve Adeyemo (Tech), Uche Kalu (Dance), and Emmanuel Elijah (Music) emerged the category winners of the Stanbic IBTC FUZE Talent Show 4.0.
They received N10 million each for their efforts, along with mentorship opportunities, industry exposure, and support to advance their creative journeys.
The four were chosen from the 12 finalists at an event aired on Sunday, December 14, 2025, on AIT (DStv Channel 253) at 7:00 pm, Africa Magic Showcase (DStv Channel 151) at 5:00 pm, and streamed live on the official Stanbic IBTC YouTube channel, connecting millions of viewers to the excitement and energy of the show.
The 2025 edition drew over 6,000 entries nationwide and continued to inspire a new wave of innovation among young Nigerians in fashion, technology, dance, and music. The participants fought for a share of the N90 million in prizes put up by the organisers.
This year, the FUZE Talent Show also introduced an exciting new twist: The Fan Favourite Feature, which allowed viewers across the country to vote for the contestant who most inspired them. This addition deepened audience participation and further strengthened FUZE’s mission to connect creativity with community support.
“FUZE 4.0 truly lived up to its promise as The Ultimate Show, a platform that celebrates courage, creativity, and innovation.
“Every contestant who graced that stage reminded us of the extraordinary potential of Nigerian youths.
“At Stanbic IBTC, we are proud to continue creating opportunities that help young people dream bigger, think bolder, and achieve more. It is all about home-grown talent for us as we power the made-in-Nigeria initiative,” the chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mr Chuma Nwokocha, said.
As excitement builds for FUZE Festival coming up on Saturday, December 20, 2025, attendees can anticipate experiencing this year’s edition theme The Ultimate Show in full, with circus-style attractions, from magicians and parade performers to flash mobs and art displays.
An expanded marketplace, freebies from participating partners and on-site Stanbic IBTC services will enhance convenience, while performances by Wande Coal, Pheelz, Chike, and Ms DSF will add a nostalgic, high-energy finish. Interested attendees can register to attend via the Stanbic IBTC Events App or visit www.events.stanbicibtc.com to secure their spot.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The 2019 single released by Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer, CKay, Love Nwantiti, has officially surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.
This feat has made him one of the few African artists to reach this milestone and the first Nigerian solo act to achieve this.
The song has sustained a global appeal, with listeners from the United States, India, Indonesia, Brazil, and the United Kingdom playing it in the last 28 days alone, a proof of the track’s staying power well beyond its viral peak.
This achievement places CKay in an elite group of African artists with billion-stream records on Spotify, which includes hits driven by collaborations with Nigerian artists, such as Drake’s One Dance (featuring Wizkid and Kyla), Future’s Wait For U (featuring Drake and Tems), and Rema’s Calm Down (featuring Selena Gomez), and solo song Water, by Tyla.
Love Nwantiti was released on CKay’s EP titled CKay the First. It began as a slow-burn masterpiece that captured a global audience. It then broke out by blending the grooving rhythm of Afrobeats with an emotional feeling and an entrancing melody, a sound CKay himself pioneered and coined as Emo-Afrobeats, fusing African rhythms with raw, heartfelt emotion.
The song, which translates to sweet gentle love in the Igbo language, communicates an intense desire for a love interest. Its journey from a homegrown Nigerian track to a cultural sensation fuelled by countless dance challenges, social virality, and international remixes is proof of the widespread power of its sound.
It remains a fixture on playlists globally, with over 3.9 million playlist adds and sustained streaming momentum across continents.
CKay achieved this historic mark with a solo, non-collaborative lead release by a Nigerian artist. This distinction highlights his unique vision and singular impact as both a writer and performer, making him a true torchbearer for the new generation of African music talent.
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