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Nigerian content creators and electronic media producers have been urged to shift focus from mere creative expression toward structural wealth creation, intellectual property protection, and enterprise development.
The charge was delivered during the 5th Nigerian Electronic Media Content Exhibition and Awards (NEMCEA) held in Lagos recently.
Opening the discourse on the theme: ‘The Creator Economy – Elevate Your Craft, Secure Your Future’, Mr. Adeniji Omirin, President, Electronic Media Content Owners Association of Nigeria (EMCOAN) and CEO, ADNOM Media, asserted that lower entry barriers created by technology must be matched with resilient corporate structures.
He advised creators to build business models capable of surviving rapid changes in technology and audience behaviour.
According to Omirin, “NEMCEA has evolved into a significant marketplace for the discovery, exchange, exhibition and celebration of TV, radio and electronic media content, and this year’s edition has been deliberately designed to create even greater opportunities for learning, networking, collaboration and busines.”
The Director General, Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, who represented the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, called for responsible and ethical content in the advertising industry, as advertising increasingly finds expression through social media, skits and other digital formats.
He canvassed that regulation must evolve with changes in the media environment, noting that advertising content embedded in entertainment and short-form digital productions requires appropriate regulatory attention.
Corroborating Fadolapo, former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, noted that Nigeria must move from exporting talent to exporting intellectual property, and from producing one-off content to building valuable library portfolios.
“We must ensure that our creators are not merely celebrated, they should be properly paid. Our intellectual property should not merely be admired, it should be properly protected. And our content should not merely be produced, it should be properly monetised,” he stated.
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Supporting this assertion, Director General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr. Mohammed Bulama, called for strong institutional collaboration to equip content creators with digital-age competencies.
Highlighting FRCN’s willingness to host joint practical workshops and technical labs, Bulama said: “We can do joint labs, trainings, and so forth. So, NEMCEA should take full advantage of what we are doing in Radio Nigeria, especially in the training school.”
The FRCN DG also said that for content monetization to succeed, the media industry must urgently establish credible, widely accepted audience measurement metrics, especially in the radio sector to provide verifiable data for advertisers and investors.
In his remarks, NEMCEA Project Director, Alayande Stephen, averred, “As content creators and media custodians, our responsibility goes beyond entertainment. We hold the key to narrative power. We shape culture, influence public policy, inform societies, and drive economic growth. However, this power comes with the urgent need for structural alignment, we must embrace robust local content quotas, fully realize the benefits of the Digital Switch Over, and create sustainable economic models that protect creators while serving audiences.”
On his part, the Director General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Charles Ebuebu, identified regulatory challenges arising from the convergence of broadcasting, artificial intelligence, digital platforms and other emerging technologies.
He called for stronger coordination among regulatory agencies to address emerging issues without creating unnecessary duplication.
Ebuebu also disclosed that the NBC is working on new regulations to address online safety and responsible use of artificial intelligence in broadcasting.
The event also featured contributions from key stakeholders like Mr. Lanre Adisa, President, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN); Brendan Nwagwu, President, Media Independent Practitioners of Nigeria (MIPAN); Uche Agbo, President, Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), as well as representatives of ADVAN, NCAA, BON etc.
The 2-day NEMCEA event closed on a glamorous note with live music performances, comedy and award presentation to winners in several categories.
