By JOSHUA OLOMU

Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, says the ministry has unveiled the Creative Leap Accelerator Programme(CLAP),an initiative to drive economic growth, foster innovation and empower creative talents in Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

According to Musawa, CLAP is an ambitious plan to position Nigeria as a global leader in the art, culture, and creative sectors.

The minister said that the programme  is envisioned to contribute $100 billion to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030.

She said capacity building, incubation, and collaborations were key steps towards realising the objectives of the programme.

“CLAP is designed to foster an environment where talent can thrive, ideas can flourish, and new industries can emerge, through comprehensive training among others.

“We are committed to providing comprehensive training, mentorship, and resources to our creatives, ensuring that they have the skills and expertise needed to succeed in the global market.

“The goals and objectives of CLAP are threefold: capacity building, incubation and innovation, and partnerships; establishing creative clusters and centres of excellence as incubators for new ideas and enterprises.

“Strategic partnerships with renowned organisations such as Afrexim Bank, Google and others will provide a wide array of resources, expertise and opportunities to our creatives,” she said.

Musawa said the programme  would be  driven in synergy with the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship project, to ensure a unified approach to empowering Nigerian youth.

According to her, the hybrid management model will allow opportunity to effectively address local challenges, and harness the unique cultural strengths of each region of the country.

She added that legislation and policy frameworks were crucial to CLAP’s success, and the ministry has kicked off the Intellectual Property Policy work to protect the works of creatives across the country.

“Data mapping is also central to CLAP’s strategy, with the Origins Initiative providing a comprehensive platform for collecting, storing, and analysing data related to Nigeria’s cultural and creative industries,” she said. (NAN)