The Lagos State Government disclosed plans to support entertainment and tourism in the state by supporting creatives with “as much as N40m”.
To facilitate the achievement of its goal, the state government established a 9-person committee that is a mix of both veteran actors and movie producers, and government officials.
The committee was introduced by the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the Lagos House, Marina on Wednesday.
Included on the panel is veteran Nollywood actor Richard Mofe-Damijo, who will serve as chairman of the committee.
Others on the panel are movie and TV producers Tunde Kelani, Mo Abudu, Kunle Afolayan, Peace Anyim-Osigwe.
Government officials on the panel include Adebukola Agbaminoja, Taju Olajumoke, Ferdinand Tinubu, and Funke Avoseh.
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According to the statement, the funding would ensure that creatives are not constrained in their efforts to bring to reality their ideas.
It noted that the support of the entertainment and tourism sectors formed a part of the belief of the state government in its ability to “raise the status” of the country’s creative output, placing it at shoulder level with foreign film industries like Hollywood and Bollywood.
Sanwo-Olu, in a statement said, “The scheme is to support creative ideas of movie and entertainment producers, who are constrained by funds to bring their concepts into reality.
“Applicants are to be supported with funding based on the financial plans of their projects, the grant may be as much as N40 million for each beneficiary.
“This is a signpost of all pockets of intervention we have created for the development of creativity and the tourism sector.
“This is with the belief that we can further raise the status of our creative output and commercialise the returns to a level where it can compete with Hollywood and Bollywood.
We realised most of our film production experts and directors face a lot of funding impediments.
“We are intervening to close this gap and bring credible veterans who have the knowledge and have demonstrated capacity in the industry to drive this project.”
He added, We want to support industry practitioners to raise capacity, support development of local content and discourage the action of taking proceeds from the industry out of the country, thereby denying local practitioners the benefits of their talents.”
