The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) have announced a groundbreaking collaboration aimed at integrating Nigeria’s Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) with the nation’s rapidly growing digital and innovation ecosystems.
The partnership was formalized during a meeting at NITDA headquarters in Abuja, led by NCAC Director-General Obi Asika and NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, alongside their respective teams.
The initiative seeks to harness the strengths of both agencies to drive innovation, digital transformation, and growth in Nigeria’s creative and cultural sectors.
Key Areas of Collaboration
- ICE Capacity-Building Program
- NCAC’s flagship Innovate, Create, Empower (ICE) program aims to upskill participants in the cultural and creative sectors.
- With NITDA’s support, ICE will expand to 1,000 locations nationwide, targeting the training of 2 million Nigerians by 2027.
- NITDA will provide digital labs and training facilities to enhance the program’s impact.
- Digital Platforms
- NCAC is developing platforms for cultural inventory, fan engagement, influencer marketing, subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), e-commerce, and capacity building.
- NITDA will strengthen these initiatives with local distribution networks and cloud services.
- Infrastructure Development
- NCAC has formally requested NITDA’s assistance to equip its headquarters and zonal offices with computers, tablets, podcast studios, and digital labs for full digital transformation.
- Collaborative Events and Initiatives
- NCAC will mobilize cultural and creative communities to participate in major NITDA events, including GITEX Nigeria 2025.
- The BuyNigeria.ng e-commerce platform will bring Nigerian markets online, starting with Kano, Lagos, Aba, and Abuja, to support traders and artisans.
- Nigeria’s Got Talent
- NCAC’s Nigeria’s Got Talent platform will integrate NITDA’s digital literacy programs and gamified learning systems, creating a digital-first environment for creatives to thrive.
- Joint Committee Formation
- A joint committee comprising directors from NCAC and NITDA has been established to oversee the seamless implementation of shared initiatives.
Driving Digital Transformation in Culture and Creativity
This partnership aims to blend Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage with cutting-edge digital innovation. NCAC’s ICE program and NITDA’s tech expertise will serve as the backbone of this collaboration, unlocking opportunities for individuals, artisans, and traders across the country.
Speaking on the collaboration, Obi Asika emphasized the importance of leveraging technology to boost productivity and global competitiveness in Nigeria’s creative and cultural sectors.
Kashifu Inuwa echoed these sentiments, noting that the integration of digital innovation with cultural industries will position Nigeria as a global leader in the creative and digital economies.
