Group says creative industry can contribute significantly to Nigerian economy
NAN-HE-27
Industry
By Lucy Nwachukwu
Abuja, Jan. 26, 2017 (NAN) Omoyemi Akerele, the Founder and Executive Director, Style House Files, on Thursday, said the creative industry could contribute significantly to the growth of the economy if improved upon.
Akerele said this when she visited the Minister of State for Industry Trade and Investment, Mrs Aisha Abubakar in Abuja.
According to her, it is time for the country to invest in the sector.
“For us at Style House Files, we have worked extensively with stakeholders in the creative industry and one thing that has been consistently missing is the bright skill set within this subsection.”
She added that if the fashion, the apparel and textile industry was functioning effectively as a value chain, it could create millions of jobs for Nigerians.
“We realised that within Nigeria, we do not have one retail brand that caters effectively across Nigeria unlike what is obtainable in other countries of the world.
“In resolving this, it does not just end at creating the brand but equipping the people with skills and that is why we are here.
“To find out ways we can work with you to build a better industry that is functioning properly with people who are well equiped across each part of the value chain.
“We hope that working with you we could equip people with the skills which they will use to get jobs and with the jobs they will earn an income which would make them contribute to the economy.
Akerele said that beyond mentorship an accelerated programmes for people needed to be created.
She said,”we are working at creating connective hubs and access to market to take the goods to the final consumers.
Responding, the Minister of State for Industry Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar, said fashion was one of the sectors the ministry had taken on under the Cotton Textile and Garment Policy.
“The Ministry has what we call the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan and under that we have different policies that cater to different aspects of our economy.
“The whole purpose of breaking them down is for us to concentrate and go through the entire value chain.
She said the ministry was working with the agricultural sector to ensure more production of cotton and in the textile industry; also a number of the players were visited by the ministry.
She said their challenges were identified such as counterfeiting, smuggling, power and gas pricing and the ministry have been working to resolve these issues.
Abubakar said,”what the federal government is doing in general is to target those industries with potential to create jobs and try to provide them with infrastructure to thrive.
“We are trying to resuscitate and Bank of Industry has been helpful, Customs has been supportive on issue of smuggling and SON also in monitoring counterfeiting and substandard products.
“The Ministry is looking at doing a garmentary factory, we have also been talking to a number of fashion houses to understand their challenges.
“There is no doubt that the creative industry, especially fashion has the ability to turn around the economy because it is the young people that are doing it.
“There is a lot for them to learn in terms of skill,it is not just the industrial skill but also business skill as well, they need to be more professional for them to become competitive. (NAN)
LCN/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide