The Federal Government has pledged to support efforts to unlock the potential of Nigeria’s Orange Economy as a driver of job creation, entrepreneurship, economic diversification and sustainable prosperity.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the commitment on Tuesday in Abuja when the Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Prof. Ayo Omotayo, led a delegation from the institute on a courtesy visit.
The delegation was at the ministry to seek support for NIPSS’s Senior Executive Course 48 research on the Orange Economy and plans for a National Summit and Exhibition on the sector.
Idris commended NIPSS for choosing the Orange Economy as the focus of its research, describing the creative sector as a major opportunity for diversifying the economy and creating employment opportunities, particularly for young Nigerians.
“I want to commend NIPSS for this initiative of examining the Orange Economy and entrepreneurship for sustainable development,” Idris said.
The minister assured the delegation that the Ministry of Information and National Orientation and its agencies would support the institute’s research and the planned summit.
He stressed the importance of effective communication in ensuring that Nigerians and the international community understand the opportunities available in the creative economy.
“This Ministry is essentially about taking information to the public and taking it back from the public. It is a two-way thing,” he said.
Idris also highlighted the role of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), given its nationwide presence, in gathering feedback from Nigerians at the grassroots and communicating their views and aspirations to government.
According to him, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to listening to citizens and making necessary adjustments to policies and programmes in the national interest.
“The first question the President asks whenever I sit with him is: ‘What are Nigerians saying?’” the minister said.
To strengthen collaboration, Idris said the ministry would designate an official to work with NIPSS as preparations for the proposed summit progress.
Earlier, Omotayo said NIPSS was seeking the ministry’s partnership to advance its research and organise the proposed National Summit and Exhibition.
He said the research would examine how the Orange Economy could contribute to Nigeria’s economic transformation and support President Tinubu’s ambition of building a trillion-dollar economy.
Omotayo disclosed that participants of Senior Executive Course 48 had undertaken research visits across Nigeria and to several countries to study how creative industries were being developed and leveraged for economic growth.
“The Orange Economy is a very huge sector. We have identified about 48 subdivisions, and we believe the summit will bring out the potentials in every sector,” he said.
The NIPSS Director-General said the sector had significant potential to tackle youth unemployment and create new opportunities through Nigeria’s expanding creative and digital industries.
He said the proposed summit would bring together government representatives, creatives, entrepreneurs, investors and other stakeholders to identify practical strategies for unlocking the sector’s economic potential.
Omotayo added that stronger collaboration among government, private-sector players and creative professionals would be critical to turning Nigeria’s creative resources into sustainable economic opportunities.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to working with NIPSS and other strategic institutions to translate research and policy ideas into practical opportunities for Nigerians, particularly young people.
The collaboration is expected to strengthen efforts to position the Orange Economy as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economic diversification, employment generation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development.