Defining the Cultural and Creative Industry: an Exploration of the Nigerian Cultural and Creative Ecosystem

Abstract

The recency of the cultural and creative industries and the cultural diversity existing among the nations of the world have caused many societies, organisations and governments to define the industry based on the peculiarities of their specific culture and environment. Government agencies like the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sports and multilateral institutions like UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) have all defined the industry by leveraging on specific criteria that they developed for that purpose. As an industry sector in Nigeria, the cultural and creative industry recently received the attention it deserves when Nollywood (the Nigerian Film Industry) was listed as a significant contributor to the economy of Nigeria, which is Africa’s largest economy. This development has made it imperative to understand the components of the cultural and creative industry in Nigeria and leverage such information to define the industry in the Nigerian context. In conclusion, this paper posits that any definition of the cultural and creative industry must incorporate four essential elements: the producers, the regulators, creative cities and clusters and those industries that offer allied support services.