The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) have announced a groundbreaking partnership aimed at integrating Nigeria’s cultural and creative industries (CCI) with the country’s burgeoning digital and innovation ecosystems.
Mr. Obi Asika, the director-general of NCAC, and his team met with Kashifu Inuwa, the director-general of NITDA, alongside his senior leadership team, at NITDA headquarters in Abuja to establish a collaborative framework.
This strategic alliance, according to a joint statement signed by Dr Dennis Olofu, head of Media at NCAC, and Hadiza Umar (Mrs), director, Corporate Communications and Media Relations at NITDA, seeks to harness the strengths of both agencies to drive growth, innovation, and digital transformation across Nigeria’s creative and cultural sectors.
Key Focus Areas of the Partnership:
1. ICE Capacity-Building Program:
NCAC’s flagship programme, ICE (Innovate, Create, Empower), is designed to upskill participants in the cultural and creative industries.
With NITDA’s support, ICE will expand to 1,000 locations nationwide, targeting the training of 2 million Nigerians by 2027. NITDA will provide training facilities and digital labs to enhance the programme’s impact.
2. Digital Platforms:
NCAC, in collaboration with private sector partners, is developing digital platforms for cultural inventory, fan engagement, influencer marketing, subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), e-commerce, and capacity building.
NITDA will provide support through local distribution networks and cloud services to strengthen these platforms.
3. Infrastructure Development:
NCAC formally requested NITDA’s assistance in equipping its headquarters and zonal offices with computers, tablets, consumables, digital labs, and podcast studios to achieve full digital transformation.
4. Collaboration on Major Events:
NCAC will mobilise its creative and cultural communities to participate in NITDA’s initiatives, including the highly anticipated GITEX Nigeria 2025.
5. BuyNigeria.ng Project:
Both agencies have agreed to pilot BuyNigeria.ng, an e-commerce platform designed to bring Nigerian markets online. The initial phase will focus on markets in Kano, Lagos, Aba, and Abuja, fostering greater visibility and accessibility for traders and artisans while aligning with NCAC’s vision of enhancing productivity in the cultural and creative sectors.
6. Joint Committee:
A joint committee comprising directors from both NCAC and NITDA has been established to drive the partnership forward and ensure seamless implementation of shared initiatives.
7. Nigeria’s Got Talent:
NCAC’s Nigeria’s Got Talent platform will integrate NITDA’s digital literacy programs and gamified learning systems, creating opportunities for creatives to thrive in a digitally empowered environment.
This partnership marks a significant step toward integrating Nigeria’s cultural heritage with cutting-edge digital innovation, unlocking limitless potential for the nation’s creative and digital economies.
