Hannatu Musawa, the Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, revealed ongoing strategies to revolutionise Nigeria’s video game animation sector.
Speaking at the third-quarter edition of the Xbox Developer Hangout, organised by Microsoft in Lagos, Musawa emphasised the intent to integrate Nigerian movies, music, fashion, and cultural elements into locally produced video games.
Highlighting the significant employment opportunities the industry holds for the youth, Musawa expressed the necessity of collaborating with Microsoft to realise this vision effectively.
While discussing the industry’s potential for innovation leveraging Nigeria’s abundant talent, she stressed the need for partnerships to drive transformation in the gaming space.
Expressing gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for establishing the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, Musawa underscored Nigeria’s creative prowess, envisioning their capability to reshape the billion-dollar gaming industry with government support.
“We aim to infuse our indigenous movies, distinctive fashion, music, and cultural facets into our locally produced video games,” she affirmed.
Microsoft’s Country Manager, Olatomiwa Williams, echoed the commitment to empower individuals within the sector and emphasised leveraging opportunities to align with President Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda.
“The video game industry, a billion-dollar sector, deserves serious attention, surpassing even Nollywood and the global music industry,” emphasised Oluseye Soyode-Johnson, Founder of NuConti.
Discussions during the event delved into essential tools for video game development, with speakers like Matthew Isikhuemen from Unreal Engine highlighting various crucial aspects, including grants, education, marketplace, and game stores.
Winston Ohunyon, Creative Director at Dimension II Games, emphasised the importance of storytelling to infuse culture into video games, focusing on narrative elements and preserving the nation’s identity.
Dooshima Anger, Founder of Dooshimagames, stressed the need for heightened collaborations and increased awareness to support inclusivity in Nigeria’s video game industry.
Bolaji Akingbade, CEO of Kucheza, emphasised the necessity of interventions at the secondary school level to bolster women’s representation and active involvement in the video game industry.
