News
Nigeria to earn $100 billion annually from music, culture by 2030 – Musawa
…Joins forces with Recording Academy to empower African musicians
….Salutes Afro beat stars, Burna Boy, Whiz Kid, Don Jazzy, others
L-R: Minister of Youth and Arts in Rwanda, Hon. Utumatwishima Jean, Representative of AFREXIM, Recording Academy’s Chair, Tammy Hurt, President of the Recording Academy Harvey Mason Jr., Co-President Panos A. Panay, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy Nigeria, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Sports and Culture in Kenya Hon. Ababu
Namwamba, Representative of Minister of Sports, Art, and Culture in South Africa Tsholofelo Lejaka at the inaugural PAN African Steering Committee Meeting with the Recording Academy held in Kigali, Rwanda on the 18th of June 2024
Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa has said that Nigeria is diversifying from oil to music, culture and entertainment which will fetch the country, $100billion by 2030.
The minister who spoke at a strategic roundtable meeting with organizers of the Grammy Awards, Recording Academy, and four other countries at the Convention Centre in Kigali, Rwanda, said Africa is the future of the boom in the music industry.
The meeting which was convened to set modalities for a global upscale of African Music was geared towards elevating the vibrant music and culture of Africa unto the global stage.
The steering committee consisting of Ministers of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy of Kenya, Rwanda, a delegation from South Africa representing the Ministry in South Africa, the CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, and representatives of Afrexim bank and the Recording Academy, resolved to advance the creative industries across the continent and support the diverse artistic heritage.
In her remarks at the meeting,
Musawa called on member countries to support one another and embrace the African music project which will not only serve as a platform for global economic expansion but also as a tool for national reconciliation, unity and progress in Africa’s entertainment industry.
“I must salute our Afrobeat superstars as their globalization and emergence into global pop culture has brought the Grammies to Africa. I will first thank the legends of the Nigerian Music industry that brought us here; Burna Boy, WIzkid, Don Jazzy, Dbanj, Davido, P-Square, 2Face, Asake, Tiwa Savage, and others too numerous to mention.
“Nigeria was invited to this meeting by the Recording Academy following the global success of Nigeria’s Afro beats movement. As Africans, we are the future. We are undeniable and have a voice which must be used to propel the unity and progress of not only Africans but the black race all over the world.
“The music industry provides alternative source of revenue for Nigeria as well as other African countries, thus reducing dependency on traditional sectors like oil. The Nigerian music industry is enjoyed across Africa and the globe, providing employment opportunities for millions of young people in Africa, while promoting the African culture and generating foreign currency to the country’s gdp.
“We have a responsibility to use this collaboration with the Recording Academy and all the founding members, to give Africa the strength and identity they have always yearned for. The President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed me to ensure that we create an enabling environment for this collaboration to thrive and to see how can all work together as equal partners,” Musawa said.
The steering committee discussed issues affecting the African music industry including Intellectual Property Rights, Piracy, and poor funding.
Member countries also committed to supporting economic policies for creative industries which involve working with governments and policymakers to create favorable environments for artists and creators, fostering a cohesive Pan-African vision for the music industry, promoting intellectual property rights and creative innovation, facilitating artistic mobility of music creators through unhindered access to performance venues across continents, access to global opportunities through joint programs and cross collaborations to ensure that African creators share their talents on the world stage as well as provision of educational resources, training and global elevation of African music and cultural excellence.
Key stakeholders at the meeting included the Recording Academy’s Chair, Tammy Hurt, the CEO of the Recording Academy Harvey Mason Jr., Co-President Panos A. Panay, and the Special Advisor to the CEO and President of the Recording Academy Joe Phelan. Others include the Minister of Youth and Arts in Rwanda, Hon. Utumatwishima Jean Nepo Abdallah, Minister of Sports and Culture in Kenya Hon. Ababu Namwamba, Acting Minister of Sports, Art, Tsholofelo Lejaka who represented the Ministry from South Africa and the representative of Afrexim Bank Temwa Gondwe.
The Recording Academy had earlier announced agreements with Nigeria, Rwanda, Kenya, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa to extend its efforts to support music creators on a global scale.
Nigeria embraces this vision of partnering with other creative minds on the continent, to explore advanced strategies and road maps aimed at promoting the country’s talents through world stage performances.
By Gloria Ikibah
The ECOWAS Parliament has commenced a critical series of meetings in Banjul, The Gambia, to address the political, security, socio-economic and humanitarian consequences of the recent withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the regional body.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Delocalised Meeting, 4th Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Billy Tunkara, said that two key meetings were underway: the Committee of Administration, Finance and Budget, reviewing the Parliament’s 2024 End-Year Budget Performance Report, and the Joint Committee on Political Affairs, Security, African Peer Review Mechanism, Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Trade, Customs and Free Movement, Social Affairs, Gender, Women Empowerment and Persons with Disabilities, focusing on the impact of the Sahel states’ withdrawal.
He said: “Given the evolving challenges in the region, including economic fluctuations, health crises, and social instability, it is essential for the Parliament’s financial strategies to align with the core principles of sustainability, accountability, and transparency”.
Tunkara lauded the leadership of President Adama Barrow of The Gambia for his commitment to regional integration and thanked the Right Honourable Speaker of the Gambian National Assembly and the Gambian delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament for their support.
“The Gambian people have always taken pleasure in welcoming their brothers and sisters from the Community, an attribution of my homeland that I take great pride in,” he added.
Reflecting on ECOWAS’ history, Tunkara however, he warned that this legacy is now under serious threat.
“ECOWAS, born in 1975 from the Lagos Treaty, has for five decades embodied the shared aspiration for a common destiny.
“The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali, and the Republic of Niger marks an unprecedented fracture. These countries, strategic and demographic pillars, have chosen to leave the common ship. This choice, effective since January, threatens not only our achievements but also the future of 400 million citizens,” he said.
The 4th Deputy Speaker outlined the far-reaching impacts of the withdrawal.
- Politically, ECOWAS has lost 20% of its members, weakening its voice on the international stage.
- Security-wise, the withdrawal of key players from the fight against terrorism in the Sahel poses serious risks.
- Socioeconomically, the reinstatement of strict border controls threatens trade, cross-border projects, and humanitarian aid.
- Humanitarian-wise, the isolation could worsen the plight of vulnerable populations.
“Our meeting goes beyond a mere diagnostic exercise,. It aims to rigorously assess the multidimensional impacts, imagine bridges where others see walls, and strengthen our resilience by identifying reforms”, Tunkara emphasized.
He therefore Parliament to produce concrete proposals including bold recommendations for maintaining dialogue with the Sahel states and reforms to consolidate ECOWAS.
The Deputy Speaker stressed the need for introspection and called for a renewed approach based on inclusion, transparent governance, and projects that improve citizens’ lives.
“The simultaneous withdrawal of three Member States is a wake-up call. It compels us to ask: why did the Member States choose to leave? Have we listened enough to their concerns? Have we been able to adapt our model to their realities?
“Let our debates be frank, but always guided by the spirit of fraternity that founded our Community.
“Today, it is up to us to write the next chapter. Despite the challenges, I remain convinced that ECOWAS remains the best bulwark against fragmentation. Although ECOWAS may now be fifteen minus three, nevertheless, our vision remains whole.”
Hon. Tunkara reminded the lawmakers of the founding spirit of ECOWAS in 1975, even as he expressed hope that the meeting in Banjul would mark the beginning of a renaissance.
“A renaissance where each state, each citizen, recognizes themselves in this common project. A renaissance where cooperation triumphs over selfishness, and where hope prevails over pessimism”, he asserted.
Elder statesman, Olorogun Morrison Olori, has hailed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, for his outstanding political leadership in the South-South region and his strategic role in advancing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Olori, an octogenarian and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, particularly praised Wike for his transformative work as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a statement made during a public policy dialogue in Abuja, Olorogun Olori hailed Chief Wike as “a tireless bridge-builder and result-oriented leader who has brought stability and strategic political direction to the South-South and beyond.”
Chief Wike has not only strengthened the political base of the South-South region but has also become a key player in driving the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu through inclusive governance and infrastructural transformation,” Olori said.
Highlighting Wike’s impact as FCT Minister, Olori pointed to the minister’s record-setting performance in the signing of over 5,000 Certificates of Occupancy, as well as his aggressive infrastructure renewal across the city, including road expansions, urban beautification, and housing developments. He described Wike’s efforts as “a masterclass in leadership and vision.”
“His work in Abuja has demonstrated that the Renewed Hope Agenda is not just a slogan—it is being implemented in concrete ways. He is delivering real, visible change,” Olori noted.
Olorogun Olori also emphasized Wike’s political courage in rallying support for national unity and economic revival, particularly in the South-South geopolitical zone, where he continues to serve as a stabilizing force and a voice of progress.
“Wike has used his influence not for personal gain, but to elevate the South-South and to help President Tinubu consolidate the gains of this administration,” Olori added. “This kind of partnership between the presidency and regional leaders is exactly what Nigeria needs right now.”
Olori, however, urged other political leaders to emulate Wike’s commitment to excellence and patriotism, emphasizing that Nigeria needs more leaders who “serve with sincerity and deliver with impact.”
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