Nigeria Generates Thousands of Daily Creative Works, Reaches Over 3 Billion Globally, FG Reports
Nigerian creators are producing between 10,000 and 15,000 pieces of original content every day across more than 60 digital platforms, reaching a combined global audience of over three billion people annually, the Federal Government has revealed.
The disclosure was made on Saturday by Obi Asika, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), during a symposium in Abuja titled “Art, AI and the Human Questions.”
According to Asika, the figures reflect Nigeria’s growing influence in the international creative space and highlight the urgent need for policies that protect creators’ ownership rights and ensure they derive tangible value from their work, particularly as artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly shapes content production and distribution.
“Nigerian creators produce between 10,000 and 15,000 pieces of original content daily across more than 60 platforms, reaching an aggregate audience of over three billion people annually who watch, engage with, and interact with Nigerian content,” Asika said.
He emphasized the importance of building domestic platforms to retain intellectual property and economic benefits within the country. “It should not be just about engagement; it must also be about monetisation, gigs, and education. A lot of what happens with technology is garbage in, garbage out,” he noted.
Asika further highlighted the potential of AI to transform Nigeria’s rich cultural and historical landscape. He suggested that the country’s more than 6,000 heritage sites could be brought to life through storytelling, virtual experiences, and digital reconstruction. Many of these locations remain largely unknown, he said, due to weak storytelling rather than a lack of physical infrastructure. AI, he added, could help animate these sites and attract both local and international interest.
However, he cautioned that AI is not a shortcut to success. “AI will accelerate people who know what they are doing, not those looking for overnight success,” he said. He also stressed that technology cannot replace foundational learning, insisting that reading, talent, and deep knowledge remain essential for creatives seeking long-term relevance.
The NCAC chief urged young creatives to critically engage with AI-generated content, verify information from multiple sources, and continue investing in education. He also pointed to the Federal Government’s national AI strategy and ethics frameworks as resources for responsible technology use.
Oscar Ekponimo, the organiser of the symposium, raised additional concerns about the ethical implications of emerging technologies. Highlighting the generational shift from pre-internet life to the digital age, he stressed the importance of careful management of technology’s impact on society. “On the ethics of new tools, there is always the good and the not-so-good. As it evolves, my generation has seen how technology has affected society,” he said, noting that he personally limits screen exposure for his young son.
Nigeria’s creative sector has experienced rapid growth in recent years, with local creators emerging among the most prolific content producers worldwide. As technology and AI continue to reshape the industry, experts say policies and education will be key to ensuring the sector’s sustainable development.