The National Council for Arts and Culture inaugurated the Council for Creative Technology Futures on Tuesday to bolster cultural and creative innovation globally.

NCAC director-general Obi Asika said that the CCTF would position Nigeria at the vanguard of global innovation.

Mr Asika said, “The launch of the CCTF is a groundbreaking initiative to place Nigeria at the forefront of the global stage, where culture meets code.

“This is as Nigeria’s creative economy project to surpass $25 billion by 2025 is shaping global narratives across music, film, fashion, gaming and digital content.

“The CCTF will serve as a high-level policy, strategy and implementation platform for harnessing emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Web3 and blockchain across 49 creative industry sectors.”

He said the CCTF would further equip technology creators with global tools, platforms, and market access, saying the initiative will usher Nigeria’s creative industries into a digitally empowered future that drives job creation and economic growth.

Also, to enhance Nigeria’s position as a cultural and technological powerhouse, the council will collaborate with other agencies to elevate Nigeria’s creative sector on all international platforms.

Mr Asika said, “The council will take memoranda from stakeholders and collaborate closely with NCAC sister agencies in the culture and tourism sector.

“In its first phase, the council will establish foundational frameworks and deliverables to advance the creative economy and global advocacy to elevate Nigeria’s creative sector and international platforms and look for the best solutions to drive economic growth.

“The CCTF will deliver the National Creative-Tech Framework and Roadmap 2025–2030, align with the National AI Strategy, the Digital Economy Policy (2020–2030), and NCAC-led programmes such as hubs and Discover Naija.”

He pointed out that strategic partnerships would be developed with the British Council, University for the Creative Arts UK, UNESCO, Google, Meta, AfDB, Giz, the EU, Netflix, and other key development technology partners.

“The launch of Technology Futures is a milestone for Nigeria’s creative future, where our stories, music, art, and innovation are protected, monetised, and celebrated globally,” added Mr Asika.

The inauguration was in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy.

(NAN)