Nigeria @ 66: The Arts and Culture Sector, From Potential to Purpose

Nigeria’s greatest cultural challenge at 66 is no longer the discovery of talents; it is the failure to build an ecosystem capable of turning that talents into sustainable national value. We have demonstrated repeatedly that Nigerians can create, innovate and compete globally. What remains unresolved is how to build the infrastructure, financing, policy and professional systems that allow those achievements to become enduring industries.

There has certainly been progress. Culture is increasingly recognised not merely as heritage or entertainment, but as an important component of the creative economy, with the potential to create jobs, generate foreign exchange, strengthen national identity and project Nigeria globally. Our music, film, fashion, visual arts and literature have demonstrated what Nigerian creativity can achieve internationally.

But the performing arts, particularly theatre, still require much greater institutional attention. We have the talent, but talent alone cannot sustain an industry. A viable theatre ecosystem requires functional venues, production infrastructure, financing, audience development, professional management, distribution networks and policies that encourage private-sector investment.