Lai Mohammed to deliver keynote speech at symposium on financing Nigeria’s creative economy

By Vivian Onyebukwa

Former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, will deliver a keynote speech at the 3rd annual national Symposium & Easter Fest Parade (SEFP 2026) in Lagos on April 2. The symposium is focused on “Unlocking Access to Finance for Nigeria’s Creative Economy.”

The event organised by NMO Management, according to a statement by the convener, Dr. Ngozi Omambala, would bring together commercial banks, development finance institutions, policymakers, investors, creative industry leaders and SME entrepreneurs to address structural financing gaps within the sector. “Nigeria’s creative economy, spanning music, film, fashion, digital content and cultural innovation represents one of the country’s fastest-growing youth-led and female-driven entrepreneurial sectors, yet access to structured finance, remains significantly limited,”  she said

Omambala, who is also the Managing Director of NMO Management, further stated, “Industry stakeholders note that improving financial access for the sector has become increasingly important as Nigeria seeks to diversify its economy beyond oil while expanding employment opportunities for its rapidly growing youth population.”

Omambala who is also the Vice Chair (Creative Economy) at the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), revealed in the statement that Nigeria’s creative economy does not suffer from a shortage of talent but shortage of structured capital alignment. “SEFP 2026 will focus on policy dialogue and financial innovation discussions aimed at developing inclusive financing frameworks for creative enterprises,” she added.