Good morning, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
I am truly honoured to welcome you to the maiden edition of the QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for showing up for the creative industry.
Everyone in this room is special.
Let me begin by recognising Mr Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity. Thank you for accepting our invitation and committing to this worthy cause. We are deeply honoured by your presence.
We are similarly honoured by the presence of Mr Udeme Ufot, MFR, Group Managing Director of SO&U and a true icon in Nigeria’s marketing and communications space. Thank you, sir, for accepting to be our chairman. You were one of the first to say yes to us.
We also warmly welcome our Keynote Speaker, Dr Nkiru Balonwu, Founder of The Africa Soft Power Group. We celebrate your outstanding work in building influential platforms that elevate African creativity, culture and leadership across the continent and beyond.
To our sponsors, First Bank of Nigeria, Providus Bank, NLNG, Shell and Polaris Bank, your partnership reinforces your leadership in supporting Nigeria’s economic growth and cultural heritage.
We also welcome the various associations and guilds representing the creative industry.
On a personal note, I acknowledge my primary constituency – the media. I welcome the executives and members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Arts and Culture Writers Association of Nigeria (ACWAN).
To all our panellists, moderators, host and distinguished guests, thank you for sharing your time, knowledge and passion.
This is not just another event. It is a gathering of people who believe in the power of creativity. People who are building something meaningful. People who are determined to see Nigeria’s creative economy grow and thrive.
Our theme today, “Financing as Catalyst for a Thriving Creative Economy,” is both simple and vital.
Nigeria’s creative industry contributes approximately $5.6 billion to our GDP and is the second-largest employer in the country. The Federal Government has set a bold goal of raising the sector’s contribution to $100 billion by 2030. The plan seeks to position Nigeria as a leading creative and entertainment hub on the global stage.
What does this mean for us in this room? How do we become part of that story?
We know talent is everywhere. Stories are everywhere. Ideas are not the problem. The real challenge is turning those ideas into something real, something people can see, hear, touch, and pay for.
That is why we are here – to explore how we can move from dream to execution, from inspiration to investment.
We need honest conversations. We need new partnerships. We need to think big and act smart.
We are fortunate to have some of the brightest minds in the room from film, music, media, banking, policy and technology. I am excited to hear what they will share with us.
This summit is about you, whether you are a creator, a student, a business leader, or a policymaker. Your voice matters. Your presence matters.
Once again, I warmly welcome you all and look forward to engaging, honest and productive discussions.
Olumide Iyanda is the Publisher of QEDNG and Convener of the QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit
August 12, 2025; Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos
