NEWS UPDATE: COLE CALLS FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRY EXPANSION TO DRIVE JOB CREATION

 COLE CALLS FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRY EXPANSION TO DRIVE JOB CREATION


Port Harcourt, Nigeria – February 13, 2026 – A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole, has urged the Federal Government and key stakeholders to harness Nigeria’s creative talent as a structured pathway to national job creation and economic growth.

In a statement issued on Friday, Cole emphasized that creativity should be treated as a strategic economic sector rather than an informal or secondary activity.

“Creativity is not a side economy; it is a serious driver of jobs, identity, and opportunity. COLE2Crea8 connects talent to structure, markets, and growth,” he stated.

Cole disclosed that 319 entrepreneurs across Rivers State would undergo empowerment training under the COLE2Crea8 initiative. According to him, the programme is designed to convert creative potential into sustainable enterprises and inclusive economic opportunities.

The initiative, operating across all 319 wards in Rivers State, targets sectors such as arts, fashion, music, film, design, crafts, and digital content. Cole described the creative industry as both a cultural asset and a viable economic engine capable of generating employment at scale.

He explained that the programme seeks to integrate creativity into civic participation, enterprise development, and media visibility to ensure that creative talent is systematically organised, supported, and scaled.

“COLE2Crea8 reframes creativity as productive infrastructure rather than informal activity. It is designed to support creators as entrepreneurs—linking skills, visibility, and markets into a coherent creative economy pipeline,” he said.

Cole added that the initiative aims to build collaborative platforms that encourage growth rather than isolating creative professionals.

At full scale, he said the programme intends to engage up to 319,000 creatives and creative entrepreneurs across Rivers State, establish 319 creative enterprise hubs and networks, integrate storytelling and marketplaces into mobile television and digital platforms, and provide structured pathways from creation to monetisation.

He maintained that structured investment in the creative sector could significantly contribute to employment generation and broader economic development.

Industry analysts have consistently identified Nigeria’s creative economy as a high-growth sector with strong potential to contribute to national GDP and youth employment if adequately supported with infrastructure, financing, and market access.

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