Nigeria’s creative industry creating jobs for youth, says EU

The European Union has highlighted the growing role of Nigeria’s creative sector in generating jobs, developing skills and creating economic opportunities for young people, saying industries such as Kannywood are helping to transform talent into sustainable livelihoods.

The position was contained in a statement released on Monday by the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS following a visit by Team Europe diplomats to Kano Film Village.

The delegation, led by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, included ambassadors and deputy ambassadors from Denmark, Spain, Italy, France, Czechia, Finland, Belgium and Austria.

According to the statement, the diplomats visited the facility to gain first-hand insight into how Kannywood contributes to youth employment, education and economic development across northern Nigeria, while also using entertainment as a platform to promote positive social values.

Speaking during the visit, Mignot said the creative industry extends far beyond culture and entertainment, serving as a vital source of employment and entrepreneurship for young people.

“Creative industries are not only about culture. They are also about jobs, skills, entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for young people. Across Nigeria, young people are demonstrating remarkable talent and creativity, and industries such as Kannywood are helping transform that potential into livelihoods and economic opportunity,” he said.

The EU ambassador also stressed the power of storytelling to influence attitudes and drive social change.

“Stories have the power to inspire change. Films that promote education, opportunity and inclusion can spark important conversations and encourage positive change within communities,” he stated.

As part of the visit, the delegation observed the production of Hindatu, a film that tells the story of a young girl determined to pursue her education and become a medical doctor despite pressure from her family to marry early.

The Executive Secretary of the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board, Abba El-Mustapha, said Kannywood continues to promote positive social values while creating opportunities for thousands of practitioners across the creative ecosystem.

He disclosed that the board has approved more than 10,000 films over the years and has supported the industry’s growth through training programmes, workshops and stakeholder engagement.

“Our role is not only regulatory. We also work with filmmakers to strengthen professional standards, support capacity development and ensure that films contribute positively to society,” he said.

The delegation also toured Kano Film Village, a production facility developed by filmmaker and broadcaster Abdullaziz Dansmall.

Dansmall said the facility was built gradually from proceeds generated through film productions and is being expanded to accommodate larger projects.

“Our first major production was Gidang Haya. We used the revenue from that project to build little by little, expanding the facility over time. Our long-term ambition is to transform the site into a fully developed film village capable of supporting larger productions,” he said.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Ali Nuhu, underscored the industry’s economic significance, citing research that identified film production as the second-largest source of youth employment in Kano State after agriculture.

He noted that the sector’s impact extends beyond filmmaking, supporting businesses and livelihoods across the creative value chain, while also pointing to challenges related to distribution and access to production infrastructure.

The statement added that the visit comes as the European Union expands support for cultural cooperation between Africa and Europe through initiatives such as the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture, a €30 million programme aimed at supporting artist mobility, cultural spaces and collaboration between African and European creative professionals.

Nigeria’s creative industry, particularly the film and entertainment sector, has emerged as one of the country’s fastest-growing non-oil industries. Kannywood, the Hausa-language film industry based in Kano, is one of the largest film ecosystems in Africa and plays a significant role in shaping public discourse on issues such as education, gender equality, health and social inclusion.

The sector has increasingly been recognised by governments and development partners as a key driver of youth employment, entrepreneurship and economic diversification in a country where millions of young people enter the labour market each year.