During his campaign, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria emphasized his administration’s commitment to focusing on “modern economic drivers such as the digital economy, creative industries, sports, and entertainment sectors”.
The youth, who make up a significant portion of the population, have welcomed this vision.
Uriel Tomori, a tech and civil rights advocate, expects the new administration to create an enabling environment for the digital and creative industries to thrive. In recent years, the tech sector has faced challenges such as bank account freezes, internet shutdowns, tax disputes, and service bans. Tomori emphasizes the need for the government to “provide a better pathway for accessing local and global opportunities”.
Nigerian filmmaker, Joseph Omoniyi, expresses excitement about the new president’s vision for the creative industries. He highlights the potential economic growth and social development that can be achieved by harnessing Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.
With the film industry already contributing over $600 million to the GDP annually, Omoniyi hopes that “the new administration will address challenges such as piracy, funding, distribution networks, infrastructure, and regulatory barriers to enable the production of quality content that can compete globally”.
Author and digital creator, Immanuel James Ibe-Anyanwu, urges the government to “inspire interest in scientific innovation alongside the focus on sports and entertainment”.
He says: “Young people have the potential to contribute to scientific advancements and solve their own problems if given the opportunity.” Ibe-Anyanwu calls for a “refocusing of young people” and highlights the need to “build infrastructure with indigenous talent.”
Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, CEO of Future Africa, who helped to develop and present Tinubu’s digital economy plan to Nigeria’s organized private sector, encouraged the tech ecosystem to rally around and set an agenda for the new government.
The tech sector in Nigeria has been one of the fastest-growing and most innovative sectors, attracting significant funding and contributing to the growth of African startups.