Fostering Creativity: Rwanda and Nigerian Creative Industry experts to forge strategic partnerships.

In alignment with Rwanda's dedicated commitment to nurturing its creative industry and empowering its youth, as underscored during the UN Deputy Secretary-General's visit to Art Rwanda Ubuhanzi on the sidelines of the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali, a collaborative effort has been initiated. UN Rwanda, Imbuto Foundation, the Ministry of Youth and Arts, and the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE) are jointly shaping the 'Unleashing the Potential of Youth through Creative Industry in Rwanda' Joint Programme.

This comprehensive initiative aims to equip Rwandan youth with essential skills and knowledge to establish sustainable creative enterprises, promoting innovation, professionalism, and inclusivity within the creative economy.

Additionally, it seeks to foster collaboration and network-building between the creative industries of Rwanda and Nigeria. As a part of this initiative, Rwanda hosted a delegation of six experts from Nigeria to assess progress, opportunities, and challenges within the Culture and Creative Sector.

Rwandan and Nigerian creative industry experts are set to chart a new path to create a platform for collaboration and partnership in a new move to promote and strengthen the foundations of their respective creative landscapes.

The first step happened after the productive visit by Nigerian icons to Rwanda where they held several engagements with Rwandan government officials, United Nations Rwanda, and the local industry practitioners and experts.

This partnership will mark a significant step toward nurturing cross-cultural exchanges, promoting talent, and unleashing the untapped potential of the African creative sector that is envisaged to create more job opportunities, especially among the African youth.

Adebola Williams Chairperson of AWNetwork and founder of MITTA Centre who led the delegation of the Nigerian’s icons expressed the willingness and eagerness to strategize on the new channels to enhance partnership.

“This sector has a huge potential and we want to come up with a roadmap that will help either catalyze or accelerate the creative economy to create jobs for young people, to protect their Intellectual Property, to upskill their capacity, share knowledge, and build structures that help them be their most effective experts”, Adebola said.

According to Ozonnia Ojielo the UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, the impact of the partnership between the Rwandan and Nigerian creative industry sectors extends far beyond the realms of art and culture underlining that it has the potential to be a catalyst for economic development, cultural exchange, and the empowerment of a new generation of African creatives, ultimately reshaping perceptions and elevating the global standing of African creativity.

He further mentioned that nurturing emerging talent will empower young creatives in both nations.  “I’m optimistic that expertise from experienced professionals will lead to the development of a highly skilled and innovative new generation within the creative industries and as United Nations in Rwanda, we will continue providing our support and ensure this vision is realized”,

In an exclusive interview with the Hon. Sandrine Umutoni State Minister for Youth, she noted that through strategic partnerships with different stakeholders and partners, the ministry has come up with initiatives that have positively impacted the young generation.

 “We have been discussing with partners to come up with a good strategy on how to empower our young people both educated and not educated, especially through the creative industry. The creative economy has the potential to not only increase the GDP of the country or at a global level but also bring together young people around the massages of unity, and resilience”.

She cited ArtRwanda-Ubuhanzi a televised nationwide talent search project implemented by the Imbuto Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth since 2018. The project identifies and supports young and talented Rwandans within the creative arts industry in nine different categories (Film making, Photography, Digital Art, Acting and drama, Dance, Fashion Design, Music, Literature, Visual and Plastic Arts).

During the discussion, H.E Robert Masozera, Director General of Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy welcomed the anticipated partnership adding that this will open new doors for Rwandan creative experts to the international heights.

“We want to expand Rwanda’s creative economy. We are excited about learning from these Nigerian experienced icons”, He noted.

The Ambassador further observed that Nigeria's creative sector is more developed adding that this was a great opportunity for the local industry to share experiences and learn from their Nigerian counterparts as this will move the Rwandan creative industry to another level.

The Nigerian icons and members of MITTA Centre Creative Experts Council who were in Rwanda include Bada Akintunde Johnson the Country Manager of Paramount Africa, Moses Babatope G.E.D. Film House Cinemas, Osas Ighodaro Actress and Producer, Richard Mofe Damijo Actor and Executive Producer, Cecil Hammond CEO of Flytime Group, and Adebola Williams Chairperson of AWNetwork who was leading the delegation.

As a direct outcome of the visit, the MITTA Centre extended an exclusive invitation to Ms. Christiane Bukuru Uwase, a talented Rwandan musician who engaged with the Nigerian Icons during their visit. She showcased her exceptional talents at the prestigious FLYTIME FEST 2023, which took place in Lagos from December 21st to December 26th, 2023.

This performance marked a historic moment as Ms. Bukuru became the first-ever Rwandan artist to grace the stage at Flytime Fest, representing a remarkable opportunity seized!

The creative economy contributes to the achievement of the broader objectives of the 2030 Agenda, with emphasis on the quality of life and well-being as a key outcome of a targeted economic process and It aligns with a variety of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially the quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth and Industry, Innovation, and infrastructure.