The Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has revealed the Federal Government’s intention to establish a national museum and a national theatre in a designated “Creative City” in Abuja.
The announcement came during her defense of the ministry’s budget before the Senate Committee on Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy on Thursday at the National Assembly.
According to a statement by Musawa’s Special Assistant on Media, Nneka Ikem, the proposed projects are positioned as top priorities for the ministry and are aimed at generating employment opportunities for Nigerians.
Musawa emphasized the significance of passing the budget for these initiatives to materialize, stating, “This can only be achieved when the Senate passes the budget before it.”
Expressing concern about the ministry’s underfunding, Musawa appealed to the Senate Committee to increase its allocation in the 2024 budget.
She said, “The ministry has been grossly underfunded, and we will be unable to achieve anything of significance without the right funding.”
The minister further aligned the ministry’s objectives with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, stating, “In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, the ministry has committed to an aspirational target of N100bn contribution to the nation’s GDP by 2030 and also to the establishment of major projects, which include the building of a National Theatre and National Museum in Abuja among other projects.”
Musawa highlighted the ministry’s drive to reposition Nigeria through proposed projects that focus on attracting foreign investment, cultural promotion, preservation, and establishing an intellectual property framework.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Senator Mohammed Onawo, commended the minister’s initiatives and stated that the budget review aimed to support her in efficiently discharging her duties and realizing the ministry’s objectives.
