THE Federal Government has announced its decision to support the Nigerian creative industry with a sum of N50 billion after eradicating COVID-19.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the announcement in a recent statement while responding to the demands of the sector, which has been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He noted that the Creative Industry remains the worst hit by the Covid-19 pandemic because it is audience-centred and, with the social distancing, ban on mass gathering and travel restrictions put in place globally, the fortunes of the industry has taken a nosedive.

“This is why we have decided to face the challenges squarely. Realizing the imperative of having a collective and government-supported approach in dealing with the situation, we have set up a 22-member stakeholders committee, cutting across art, culture, heritage, tourism, streaming, music, film, etc.,  to come up with immediate, short and long term economic stimulus and initiatives for the industry, in order to mitigate the effect of the pandemic on the sector,” the Minister said.

Mohammed also said the Federal Government will also amend the Act establishing the National Endowment for the Arts to enable it to play a pivotal role in responding to the demands of the sector, which has been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

”We have decided to amend the Act establishing the National Endowment for the Arts so it can better meet the demands of the sector, which has been greatly impacted by the pandemic,” he noted.