By Emmanuel Uduma
August 12, 2025: Today, QEDng hosted its maiden edition of the Creative Powerhouse Summit and it was an amazing event with major stakeholders in the creative industries in attendance. The chairman of the Summit, Mr. Udeme Ufot, MFR and keynote speaker Dr. Nkiru Balonwu set the stage for what became an afternoon of engaging conversations over two panel sessions after their powerful and insightful speeches.
The panel conversations saw professionals from Nollywood, the banking sector and representatives of the government. Now, I intentionally stopped attending creative summits in general because I feel nothing actionable actually comes out of a lot of them. We have been having these conversations for decades and appear to be no closer to unlocking the potential of the creative industries (Nollywood in particular) that we collectively know is there, but have somehow not been able to significantly unleash. But when Egbon Olumide Iyanda sent an invite to this summit, learning about the personalities that will be in the room, I knew I had to attend.
We argue about structures, infrastructure, finance and lack of as creatives as we continue to figure things out on the go. Then we, now and again, celebrate flashes of success that are mostly few and far apart, attained through trial and error, with many never recovering from failed projects. Still, we gather, and we talk.
The theme of this maiden QEDng summit was “FINANCING AS CATALYST FOR A THRIVING CREATIVE ECONOMY” and the issues raised and discussed were the same things we have always talked about in other summits: How do we de-risk Nollywood to the point where it becomes safe enough for the banks to fully and intentionally engage the market?
This summit, however, was different from others because at the end of the conversations, it was the classic creative financing stalemate; two sides speaking entirely different dialects of “money”, but what was different was both sides acknowledging the need to intentionally take steps to learn each other’s language, so we can better communicate our needs. So yes, it was a needed couple’s therapy session and has now opened up the pathway to resolving very obvious differences.
Banks and bankers live in a world of collateral, predictable cash flows, and risk matrices, while the creative industry runs on IP value, cultural capital, and long-tail monetisation, which are almost invisible to traditional lenders. And because creatives often pitch passion before numbers, they don’t give financiers the data story they need to make decisions.
So then what’s missing is a shared financing language, almost like a “translator framework” that maps creative projects to bankable structures (cashflow projections, asset registers, IP valuation), educates bankers on revenue cycles for content and entertainment and prepares creatives to speak in ROI, risk mitigation, and portfolio diversification terms. Thinking through possible solutions, here are my thoughts on actionable steps that can shape a framework that might help both sides speak the same money language.
First, translate the industry for financiers. The goal here would be to show bankers what they understand: risk, returns and timelines without diluting the creative vision. The key tools here would be a Revenue Map: Clear breakdown of all possible revenue streams (domestic box office, streaming rights, TV syndication, merchandising, international sales, brand partnerships). Another tool would be a cash flow cycle chart that will show how funds flow in and out over time when investments start generating returns. Then, a comparable case study, real data from past projects in Nigeria/Africa that delivered returns. Finally, it is to create bankable structures with the goal of turning creative projects into investment products banks can finance.
These should then be approached using special purpose vehicles (SPVs). Each project becomes its own legal entity, separating risk from the production company. Another approach can be completion bonds: Insurance that guarantees project delivery (reduces lender risk). Then we move on to pre-sale agreements: Lock in buyers (streamers, broadcasters, distributors) before production to secure predictable income. Then make them understand that an IP is a valid collateral. By registering and valuation, IPs can be treated as a tangible asset.
The second step to bridging this language barrier is education. Educate both sides with the goal to build mutual literacy so creatives and financiers stop speaking past each other. Think “A Banker Workshop” on creative industry revenue models, global best practices, and Nigerian success stories. Or a “Creative Bootcamp” on financial modelling, investment decks, and contract negotiation. Then both sides can also share templates: Standardised pitch decks, revenue forecast models, and risk mitigation outlines.
Third is risk mitigation for investors with the goal of proving to banks that risk can be managed and how. One way is with a multi-project slate financing (spread risk across several titles). Then there is partnering with international co-producers (foreign guarantees, shared costs). Let’s also not rule out government or private sector-backed guarantees. All of these must, at its core, have transparent accounting and reporting systems.
Finally, we need partnership platforms with the goal of creating recurring spaces where deals actually happen. Not just gathering ourselves in the room, repeating tired talking points. We need to actually have multiple annual creative finance deal rooms (not just panels, actual pitch-to-funding sessions). An online platform linking vetted projects to financiers and an Industry Bank advisory board to set and review best practices.
Congratulations to the entire team at QEDng for organising an amazing summit. I am looking forward to the success stories that will come of this edition.
- Emmanuel Uduma is the CEO, SMATmedia and founder, IKODIYA STUDIOS
