Hannatu Musawa, Minister of  Art, Culture and  Creative Economy, says the ministry has unveiled  the Creative Leap Accelerator Programme(CLAP),an initiative  to drive economic growth, foster innovation and empower creative talents in Nigeria.

BRANDPOWER reports that the minister disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

According to Musawa, CLAP is  an ambitious plan to position Nigeria as a global leader in the art, culture, and creative sectors.

The minister said that the programme   is  envisioned  to contribute $100 billion to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030.

She said  capacity building, incubation, and collaborations were key steps towards  realising the  objectives of the programme.

“CLAP is designed to foster an environment where talent can thrive, ideas can flourish, and new industries can emerge, through  comprehensive training among others.

“We are committed to providing comprehensive training, mentorship, and resources to our creatives, ensuring that they have the skills and expertise needed to succeed in the global market.

“The goals and objectives of CLAP are threefold: capacity building, incubation and innovation, and partnerships; establishing creative clusters and centres of excellence as incubators for new ideas and enterprises.

“Strategic partnerships with renowned organisations such as Afrexim Bank, Google and others will provide a wide array of resources, expertise and opportunities to our creatives,” she said.

Musawa said the programme   would  be   driven in  synergy with the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship project, to ensure a unified approach to empowering Nigerian youth.

According to her,  the hybrid management model will allow opportunity  to effectively address local challenges,  and harness the unique cultural strengths of each region of the country.

She added that  legislation and policy frameworks were crucial to CLAP’s success, and the ministry  has kicked off the Intellectual Property Policy work  to protect the works of creatives across the country.

“Data mapping is also central to CLAP’s strategy, with the Origins Initiative providing a comprehensive platform for collecting, storing, and analysing data related to Nigeria’s cultural and creative industries,” she said.