Osinbajo: Africa’s regulatory posture favours the creative sector — there’s no hindrance

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says Africa’s regulatory posture favours the continent’s creative sector.

The VP was a panelist in the first session of the 2023 Ibrahim Governance Forum held on Saturday in Nairobi, Kenya.

The forum was themed “Africa in the World: Multiple Assets”.

Osinbajo spoke on what the future holds for Africa in the creative industry and the role of governments.

He said the regulatory environment for the creative sector across Africa is open and constitutes no hindrance.

“The creative industry in Africa is a phenomenon that many will say happened without the government,” he said.

“It possibly happened because there was no government.

“So, I think that what is important is to see how the creative industry can be supported.

“Firstly, entertainment. It is evident that there is a huge amount of talent.

“It’s evident also that the regulatory environment favours it because there are no impediments.

“What we should seek to do is to see how we can expand that space and support with credit where that is possible and infrastructure that will be helpful.’’

Osinbajo, while making an example of Nigeria, said the country now has a national theatre in Lagos that offers a few studios for films and entertainment.

He said governments should be careful to not “interfere too much” in the creative sector.

This, he argued, is because artists have developed independence that allows them to function with little aid.

“Things have changed in so many fundamental respect that there is greater independence of the artist and the creative people and they really function very effectively with little help,” the vice president said.

Osinbajo participated in the Nairobi panel session alongside Donald Kaberuka, the African Union (AU) special envoy and former president of the African Development Bank (AFDB).