On Wednesday, September 25, the U.S. Nigeria Council for Food Security, Trade, and Investment (USNC) convened a breakfast celebrating Nigeria’s creative industries. The event took place on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) high-level week in New York City. H.E. Hannatu Musa Musawa, Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, H.E. Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, and Sarah Morgenthau, the US State Department’s Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs headlined the event.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria and USNC Chairman Terence McCulley welcomed guests to the breakfast and gave an overview of the strength of Nigeria’s creative economy, including contributions in the areas of film, television, music, art, fashion, and literature.
S/R Morgenthau highlighted the collaboration between the US government and Nigerian
creatives, including in protecting intellectual property rights and in promoting upskilling of
Nigerian entrepreneurs in film and music.
H.E. Minister Musawa outlined her initiatives as Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, detailing her ambitions to make Nigeria’s creative sector a world leader within her
term in office. H.E. Minister Uzoka-Anite echoed these sentiments, underscoring the outsized
role that Nigeria’s creative exports play in generating economic growth in the country.
After the keynote speeches, USNC Senior Advisor, Aubrey Hruby, moderated a distinguished
panel discussion featuring award winning musical artist D’Banj, Thomas Bruns, US Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Africa, and Olusoga Oduselu, Chevron’s General Manager for Policy, Government, and Public Affairs. The panel discussed the interventions of the keynote speakers and gave their perspectives on the key opportunities in Nigeria’s creative sector.
It was an honor for the USNC to host two important ministers in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet for this valuable discussion, as well as to host two senior US government officials. We were particularly pleased to welcome many USNC members, including Founding Member John Coumantaros, Chairman of Flour Mills of Nigeria and Honorary Co-Chair of the USNC, Amb. John Negroponte, Vice Chairman of McLarty Associates and Honorary Co-Chair of the USNC, Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive of Oando, Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director and CEO of Access Bank, and Olusoga Oduselu of Chevron, who graciously agreed to participate in our panel discussion.