Lai Mohammed at AFRIMA

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the government is providing the necessary framework through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation to ensure that listeners of music pay for it.

The Minister who revealed this in Lagos in the early hours of Sunday  at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) said the action on is part of the moves by government  to encourage growth of the creative sector.

He added that internet data must be cheaper and owners of content must make more money from the use of their works.

“The other big issue for commercialization is the digital economy –  data must be cheaper and owners of content must make more money from  the use of their works. I am sure you have been following the announcements by my colleague, the Minister of Communications, on this,” he said.

The Minister also revealed that the government is cleaning up the advertising  industry and making sure proper measurement of content exist and are  collated, stressing that this measure has the potential to add at least 50 billion naira annually to the Creative Sector.

“As we head into 2020, the successful commercialization of the Creative industry is our number one priority. It will create jobs, reduce crime, be a major source of foreign exchange and thereby reduce  our dependence on oil, rebrand our country internationally and boost our GDP.

“So, we in government are tackling all impediments to the industry thriving. We are making cheaper and longer term financing available for the industry, especially for infrastructural projects, like concert halls across the six geo-political zones of the country, as recently announced by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,” he  said.

The Minister congratulated the organizers of AFRIMA for another successful hosting of the prestigious awards and the role they have been playing in the explosion, development and the success of African music.

In his remarks, the Executive Producer of AFRIMA, Mr. Mike Dada, said the organization is using culture and art as a platform to change the narratives of unemployment, extreme poverty and homelessness on the continent.

He commended the Minister for providing the needed support, which enabled them to successfully host this year’s AFRIMA