The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) have entered a historic partnership with the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) aimed at transforming Nigeria’s creative and entertainment industry. This strategic partnership is coming at a time when the creative industry has been identified as one of the fastest growing sector globally thus the need for Nigeria, and Nigerians to be rightly positioned to reap from its huge benefits.
This was made known during a meeting between the leadership of both organizations where the Director General of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Mr. Agabaidu Jideani announced ACCI’s commitment to supporting and advancing the creative and entertainment industry in Nigeria. The Director General pointed out that the ACCI took such initiatives to create a well-structured body that will contribute to national economic growth.
The importance of the entertainment industry to the national economy cannot be overstated. In 2023, the sector contributed roughly N154 billion to the country’s GDP with more headroom for exponential growth. Moreso, it is a labour intensive sector with myriads of activities that can have huge impacts on the unemployment market. It also contributes immensely to social and cultural development.
Commending the ACCI for making itself a vehicle of progress towards the advancement of the entertainment and creatives industry in Nigeria, the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) Dr. Ejezie Rollas MON, said that the partnership is the type of collaboration that the industry has been yearning for over the years. The ACCI, and the AGN has identified several critical areas for collaboration including ensuring policy clarity by developing and advocating for clear, industry-specific policies to ensure fair treatment and protection of practitioners’ rights, ensuring Fair Pay and Insurance by Implementing fair compensation and insurance policies to safeguard practitioners’ welfare and provide financial security, promoting capacity building by designing and delivering training programs to enhance industry professionals’ skills and competitiveness.
The teams agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Agreement to guide the relationship and host an annual Business, Entertainment, and Creative Industry Summit to facilitate networking, knowledge sharing, and stakeholder collaboration and bring together all stakeholders, including regulatory and government institutions, the business community, and industry practitioners, at a roundtable.
Dr. Rollas expressed his enthusiasm for partnering with ACCI, commending the chamber’s warm reception and shared vision. He underscored the need to maximize the entertainment industry’s full potential and recognized the vital role of collaboration with the business sector. “This collaboration will revolutionize the industry, providing practitioners with the protection, training, and opportunities they deserve.” He concluded.
The Director General, Mr. Agabaidu C. Jideani proposed further discussions among industry practitioners, businesses, and regulators to deepen understanding of the entertainment sector. Such dialogues, he noted, would enable chamber members to explore opportunities and benefit from a collaborative framework supporting mutual growth. Furthermore, he stated that “The ACCI is committed to supporting the growth of Nigeria’s creative industry. This partnership with AGN marks a significant step towards achieving our goals and will include engagement with others including Marketers, Directors, Producers, and relevant public sector institutions.”
The ACCI team at the event was made up of the Director General Mr. Agbaidu Jideani, the ACCI’s Executive Director of NPAC, Dr. Chidiebere Onwumere, the Executive Director of ATC, Mr. Emeka Ezekwesili, and ACCI General Counsel, Hajiya Hauwa Kaka Usman.