...Stakeholders seek stronger government-creative partnerships to drive tourism, investment, and youth empowerment
The Special Assistant to the Governor of Enugu State on Youth Development and Mobilisation, Hon. Charles Nnaemeka Edeh, has called on content creators, entertainers, media professionals, and other stakeholders in the creative industry to become active partners in projecting the transformation taking place across Enugu State under the administration of Governor Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.
Edeh made the appeal during the Enugu Creators and Entertainers Interactive Session, organised by his office at Universal Hotel, Enugu, with the theme, "Shaping Perception and Showcasing the New Enugu: The Role of the Creative and Entertainment Industry."
The event attracted a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including entertainers, digital creators, broadcasters, comedians, musicians, filmmakers, photographers, influencers, DJs, media practitioners, and creative entrepreneurs from across Enugu State and beyond.
Among the notable personalities in attendance were the Enugu State Liaison Officer to the South East Development Commission (SEDC), Hon. Edeani M. Edeani; renowned broadcaster Emmanuel Okoh (Okwuluora Ndi Igbo); Chief Ulaga; Chisom Edeh (MC Monica); President of the Southeast Content Creators Association and CEO of Uncle I.B Solutions, Okafor Ifeanyichukwu (Uncle I.B); Urban Radio On-Air Personality Lady Chidimma Ezeh (Didi); MC Kokoli; Chief Chinedu Omeh of Evergreen Media; Chief Ebuka Hero; as well as representatives of ASESCOM, PMAN, the DJs Association of Enugu State, and the Nsukka Association of Content Creators.
Delivering his keynote address, Hon. Edeh said the engagement aligned with Governor Mbah's vision of positioning Enugu as Nigeria's leading destination for investment, innovation, tourism, enterprise, and youth-driven economic development.
He described the creative industry as one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy and stressed that its practitioners have a strategic role in shaping public perception, preserving culture, and amplifying the remarkable progress being recorded across the state.
According to him, Governor Mbah's administration has embarked on transformative investments spanning road infrastructure, Smart Green Schools, healthcare, technology-driven security, agriculture, urban renewal, transportation, water infrastructure, energy, entrepreneurship, and digital innovation.
He also highlighted landmark projects such as Enugu Air, the Enugu International Conference Centre, and the ongoing Five-Star Hotel Project, describing them as bold initiatives redefining Enugu's economic and investment landscape.
While noting that these achievements are transforming the state's socio-economic outlook, Edeh emphasised that strategic storytelling remains essential to ensuring the reforms receive the national and international recognition they deserve.
He therefore challenged creatives to become ambassadors of the New Enugu, using their various platforms to showcase the state's development, attract investors, promote tourism, and inspire confidence in Enugu as a destination for business and innovation.
His remarks received a standing ovation from participants and were followed by a special saxophone performance by renowned musician Harrison Ibaro.
The interactive session also featured keynote presentations by respected figures within the creative industry.
Speaking on "From Enugu, You Can Conquer the World," Chisom Edeh (MC Monica) encouraged creatives to remain consistent, embrace collaboration, and intentionally support one another in building globally competitive brands. He also advocated concessionary access to government-owned event facilities for local entertainers.
Delivering a presentation titled "Opportunities for the Growth of Enugu State's Creative Industry," Lady Chidimma Ezeh (Didi) commended Governor Mbah's administration for creating an enabling environment for the sector.
She identified collaboration, innovation, professionalism, and consistency as the pillars of success and expressed optimism that Enugu possesses the potential to emerge as Nigeria's foremost creative hub within the next five years.
Moderated by Uncle I.B, the interactive session provided participants with an opportunity to engage directly with government representatives on challenges confronting the industry and propose practical policy recommendations.
Stakeholders advocated stronger collaboration among creative associations, improved access to grants, soft loans, and affordable financing, as well as the introduction of official identity cards for registered creative practitioners.
They also called for increased government patronage of Enugu-based entertainers during official programmes, concessionary access to government-owned facilities—particularly the Enugu International Conference Centre—and the establishment of film villages, creative hubs, and entertainment academies.
Participants further appealed for greater investment in the movie industry to promote Enugu's culture, tourism, and economy, while urging sustained urban renewal efforts to create world-class filming locations, public enlightenment campaigns to improve societal perception of content creators, and increased support for educational and value-driven creative content.
The stakeholders unanimously agreed that the creative industry possesses enormous potential to stimulate tourism, digital innovation, cultural exports, investment, and youth employment. They commended Governor Mbah's developmental strides and pledged to partner with the government in projecting the New Enugu narrative to national and global audiences.
At the end of the engagement, participants recommended the institutionalisation of periodic government-creative industry dialogues. They also proposed the establishment of an Enugu State Creative Industry Council, an official registration and identification framework for practitioners, and a Creative Industry Support Scheme to provide grants, financing, mentorship, and capacity-building opportunities.
They further urged the government to deepen collaboration with local creatives during official events, cultural festivals, and tourism programmes.
The session concluded on an optimistic note, with participants expressing confidence in Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah's commitment to youth development and the growth of the creative economy, describing the engagement as a significant milestone toward building a sustainable partnership that will position Enugu as a globally competitive centre for creativity, innovation, and cultural excellence.
