The Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Loom Rooms, Shola Bamidele, has said Nigeria’s creative economy has the potential to become a major driver of economic growth if government and industry provide the right infrastructure, policy support and investment needed for the sector to thrive.

Speaking in an interview with The Guardian, Bamidele said while Nigerian creativity is receiving increasing global recognition through the success of Afrobeats, Nollywood, fashion and digital creators, the international attention masks the realities faced by thousands of creatives working with inadequate support systems.

According to him, many of Nigeria’s creative successes have been achieved despite structural challenges rather than because of a supportive ecosystem.

He noted that producers continue to struggle with unreliable electricity, filmmakers operate on lean budgets, designers often have to teach themselves business skills, while many creators navigate contracts without access to legal support.

Despite these obstacles, Bamidele said a significant transformation is taking place within Nigeria’s creative ecosystem as young creatives increasingly embrace entrepreneurship alongside artistic expression.

Rather than focusing solely on fame, he observed that many are now building sustainable businesses as founders, publishers, producers, technologists and entrepreneurs. He also highlighted the growing number of women assuming leadership positions across creative industries, including film, artist management and media companies.

According to him, the shift represents a transition from merely exporting Nigerian culture to building enduring institutions capable of generating wealth and global influence.

“The next chapter isn’t about proving Nigeria is creative. The world already knows that. It’s about proving that African creativity can build globally respected companies, intellectual property and institutions that create lasting prosperity here at home,” he said.

Bamidele argued that the creative sector should no longer be viewed simply as entertainment but as critical national infrastructure capable of driving exports, tourism, technology, identity and global influence.

He explained that just as roads facilitate the movement of goods and ports support trade, the creative economy enables the movement of ideas, cultural exports and innovation.

He maintained that recognising creativity as national infrastructure would encourage greater public and private sector investment in the industry.

To unlock the sector’s full economic potential, Bamidele called for stronger intellectual property protection, improved access to creative financing, reliable industry data, specialised entertainment lawyers, stronger publishing companies, animation studios, gaming infrastructure, quality education and consistent government policies.

He also stressed the need for a broader understanding of creativity across society, arguing that creativity extends beyond the arts to include problem-solving in every profession.

Drawing on Loom Rooms’ philosophy, he said mechanics, tailors, teachers and professionals across different sectors demonstrate creativity whenever they solve problems through innovation and imagination.

According to him, embracing this wider definition of creativity would help position the creative economy as a strategic pillar of Nigeria’s long-term economic development rather than merely an entertainment industry.