With the many opportunities that abound in the creative and media industry, the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) said it is committed to driving the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge to maximise the potential of the country’s talented youths for sustainable development.

Noting that the industry’s growth was yet to reach its peak, the institute said the Nigerian media industry, encompassing film, music, art, entertainment, and content creation, was the fastest-growing creative industry.

Speaking during a capacity-building programme for entrepreneurs and practitioners in Nigeria’s creative and media industry, President/Chairman of Council, ICSAN, Funmi Ekundayo, said Nigeria has witnessed growth from the sector that contributed about N154 billion to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

She cited a PwC Global Entertainment and Media Outlook, which projected that the sector could generate $14.8 billion in revenue by the end of 2025.To this end, Ekundayo stressed that ICSAN would continually support young people and help channel their creative energy into the national productivity pool.

Chairman, Channels Media Group, Dr John Momoh, who stated that entrepreneurs are the builders of the next phase of the creative industry, said there is a need for them to innovate boldly and turn visibility into action, especially with emerging technologies, which he said is the new frontier.
Stating that the future is digital, he urged that youths must be equipped with ethical and governance grounding.

“Sustainable growth begins with people, and we must empower the next generations of creatives, equip the youths with not just storytelling but design, ethical and governance grounding,” he said.

He also advocated the need to sustainably strengthen media independence and integrity.

“This is a call to action as we declare industries that thrive on public trust as your brand is only as strong as your values. We need to move from inspiration to institution and from momentary impact to sustainable growth. That means policies that protect intellectual property, incentivise innovation and provide access to financing for startups and creatives,” he said.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Driving Sustainable Development in Nigeria’s Creative and Media Industry’, a governance expert, Dr Nosike Agokei, said for the industry to thrive, it must set up a corporate governance framework to ensure maximum growth.

He stressed the importance of good corporate governance and ethical practices in promoting and managing successful ventures in the creative and media industries.

He said the failure of many organisations within the industry stems from weak internal structures, poor transparency, and the absence of clear control systems.

He urged industry players to set up boards comprising individuals with experience and integrity, develop strong policies, establish internal audit functions, and define risk management frameworks.

Chairman of the Creative and Media Sectoral Group, Waheed Olagunju, highlighted the importance of education and talent development in building a resilient creative economy.

Calling on the need to invest in the next generation of creators, he said that strategic investments must go hand in hand with the training and empowerment of young Nigerians in media, design, animation, fashion and related fields.

Earlier in his remarks, Supervising Council Member, ICSAN Sectoral Group, Babatunde Pelewura, highlighted all the groups and how all of them have made impactful contributions to their mandates.