Manny Ita
The federal government has moved the “Motherland” initiative into its operational phase, with the Renewed Hope Creative City in Abuja now functioning as a creative hub focused on fashion, digital arts and other sectors of the creative economy. The development reflects a broader government effort to strengthen Nigeria’s cultural industries and transition the creative sector from informal cultural expression into structured economic contributors.
Officials involved with the creative economy say the renewed focus stems from the Motherland 2025 programme under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to reconnect Nigerians in the diaspora with economic opportunities at home while boosting domestic cultural production and global competitiveness.
The Renewed Hope Creative City, now active in Abuja, is reported to be serving as a centre for film production, fashion design, digital arts and related creative industries, positioning the city as a base for creative entrepreneurship and innovation. Government sources indicate that this is part of a larger rollout of infrastructure and policy measures designed to strengthen Nigeria’s creative economy and create jobs.
The initiative’s operational phase follows earlier planning and institutional groundwork by the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, which has championed national-level programmes to formalise the creative sector and expand its role in economic diversification. This includes partnerships with private entities for projects such as the Abuja Creative City, which aims to establish Nigeria as a key hub for media, culture and entertainment innovation on the continent.
Ministry officials see the creative city model as contributing to broader goals of youth employment, skills development and international cultural exchange. They emphasise that hubs like Renewed Hope Creative City provide infrastructure, training opportunities and market access that support Nigeria’s talent pool and help build sustainable enterprises in fashion, digital arts, film and related fields.
Analysts note that the government’s strategic alignment of these hubs with the Renewed Hope Agenda reflects an effort to institutionalise the creative industries as significant contributors to national GDP and to attract both domestic and international investment into the sector
