The Anambra State Government, in collaboration with its development partners, has launched a two-day workshop to design a strategic work plan aimed at creating a dynamic and efficient creative industry in the state.
The workshop, titled “Anambra State Creative Economy Consultative Value Chain Mapping,” is taking place in Awka. It brings together representatives from various ministries, departments, and agencies to discuss the mapping of sectors within the creative economy, including film and video, fashion design and modeling, music production and distribution, and content creation.
Opening the conference, the Commissioner for Culture, Tourism, and Entertainment, Mr. Don Onyenji, emphasized that the event will enable the state government to strategically support all sectors to fully realize their potential. Mr. Onyenji noted that the workshop, which unites participants from both the government and private sector, aims to lay the groundwork for effective engagement and decision-making to ensure the comprehensive mapping of Anambra’s creative sector.
Mr. Onyenji expressed gratitude for the partnership with Technology For Social Change and Development (Tech4Dev) and affirmed the government’s commitment to implementing the outcomes of the conference.
Senior Researcher and Policy Manager at Tech4Dev, Mr. Immanuel Umukoro, stated that their vision is to equip Africans with skills that promote economic prosperity, financial independence, and sustainable development through digital technology. He emphasized Tech4Dev’s mandate to build capacity and ensure that the right policies are in place to help businesses thrive.
Mr. Umukoro highlighted Anambra’s status as a creativity hub, expressing confidence that the state is ready for increased investments to strengthen its creative economy and contribute to economic development.
In her presentation, Tech4Dev’s Research and Policy Lead, Miss Victoria Oletu, explained that the agency aims to create opportunities for decent work and entrepreneurship through digital skills empowerment. She underscored the importance of the creative economy, noting the need for comprehensive research to understand its benefits to youth and women, as well as its challenges, to better position the state in the evolving sector.
Miss Oletu revealed that the conference would foster collaboration between the private and public sectors to develop solutions to identified challenges and attract evidence-based funding to the state.
During the conference, participants were divided into teams to identify factors and solutions related to capacity building and talent development, infrastructure and technology, funding and incentives, and inter-MDA collaboration. These efforts are intended to lay the groundwork for fruitful engagement with the private sector on the second day of the conference.
