Creative sector: The alchemy of Nigeria’s orange economy

There are moments in life’s journey when quiet, persistent labour breaks through the cacophony of regional struggle to claim global resonance. The recent appointment of Mrs Sarah Boulos as the president of the Council of Global Change is one such moment and deserves celebration.

Born in Burkina Faso, with French and American heritage and Lebanese descent, Sarah has spent over two decades embedded in Nigeria’s cultural landscape. Long before the ‘Orange Economy’ became a fashionable buzzword among policymakers and multilateral development banks, she had her sleeves rolled up and was in the trenches – unnoticed, unheralded, or unrecognised. Through her non-profit organisation, the Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria, she dedicated herself to unlocking the raw, untapped genius of Nigerian youth in the creative space.

As a member of the board of governors of SPAN, I have had the privilege of a front-row seat to her extraordinary journey. I have watched her petite frame lead with an unwavering commitment driven by deep personal faith and conviction. Her new global office is a well-deserved recognition, but more than that, it is a testament to the transformative power of the creative arts when nurtured with grit and purpose.

Yet, no visionary operates in a vacuum. Like every other thriving sector, the creative sector should function like an ecosystem—a complex, living network where organisms interact with each other and their non-living physical environment to survive, adapt, and flourish.

In ecology, an ecosystem relies on two key components:

Biotic (living) components: The producers, consumers, and decomposers who drive the food chain.

Abiotic (non-living) components: The physical environment—the soil, light, water, air, and climate—that dictates the conditions of growth.

Applying this ecological framework to Nigeria’s creative sector, biotic forces include our artists, producers, cultural entrepreneurs, and private institutional champions. Consider Bolanle Austen-Peters and Terra Kulture. On January 30, 2026, Terra Kulture executed a landmark mandate partnership with the International Finance Corporation —a member of the World Bank Group—to expand creative infrastructure and skills development nationwide. The signing “reflects IFC’s recognition of the creative economy as a strategic sector—one that supports employment, nurtures entrepreneurship, and creates meaningful pathways for young people and women to participate in the economy.” For the founder of Terra Kulture, Bolanle Austen-Peters, it was a big deal and a monumental vote of institutional confidence in African storytelling.

Add to this the dynamic energy of private initiatives—from the global streaming partnerships brokered by homegrown studios to fashion houses elevating indigenous textiles to independent music labels that have turned Afrobeat into a global currency. These living entities produce value, consume capital, and cross-pollinate ideas across borders.

We now come to the abiotic factors: the environmental realities in which these creative seeds are planted.

The Nigerian environment has historically presented many challenges, and the country has a past shaped by severe hardships. The abiotic conditions—inadequate power, high operating costs, weak intellectual property enforcement, regulatory friction, and macroeconomic volatility—have formed a tough, stony soil. The most brilliant ideas and witty inventions in this country have often been birthed out of frustrating, dark, and demanding living conditions. While some sit back and lament how hard the ground is, how salty the water, or how lethal the rocks, our creatives have taken those stones and built industries from them. They improvised, adapted, and conquered.

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This brings us to the government’s crucial role. Government policy, infrastructure, and legislative frameworks represent the vital abiotic elements—the sunlight, water, and rich topsoil—that determine whether a creative seed merely survives through sheer stubbornness or grows into a dense, high-yielding forest.

 Whereas earlier governments frequently misjudged and alienated younger generations—often miscalculating the needs and priorities of the youth demographic—the current administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken visible, deliberate steps to integrate the Orange Economy into the national growth architecture. Through the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, led by Hannatu Musawa, we are witnessing a deliberate push to move the sector from the periphery to the core of macroeconomic strategy. Initiatives to establish intellectual property registries, unlock creative funds, and monetise cultural assets signal a welcome shift in governance philosophy.

Every single day, millions of young Nigerians drive the nation’s engine through tech, the creative arts, small enterprises, and hard-fought informal trade. The core challenge has never been a lack of grit nor the flawed trope of the ‘lazy Nigerian youth’, but rather a deficit of basic infrastructure, structural support, and enabling policy. The message is clear: our young people were never idle or incapable; they were simply waiting for the operating environment to catch up with their ambition and vision.

While these policy direction steps deserve acknowledgement, we must issue a bold challenge to this nation’s leadership: If Nigeria’s creative sector can generate billions of dollars and capture global attention despite a harsh abiotic environment, imagine what it will achieve if we deliberately cultivate a world-class ecosystem.

Consider the horizon. According to recent projections by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies and government economic frameworks, the creative sector is set to contribute roughly 2.3 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP and add over 2 million jobs by 2030, with long-term projections suggesting the Orange Economy could account for up to $100bn to $450bn in economic value as Nigeria pursues a multi-trillion-dollar economy by 2050.

When properly funded, protected by robust legal frameworks, powered by reliable energy, and backed by specialised creative hubs, the Nigerian Orange Economy will not just compete—it will dominate. We cannot settle for a sector that succeeds despite its environment; we must build an environment designed explicitly for its success.

Over two decades ago, a young French-Lebanese woman walked around the garage of her Lagos home with a vision to advance performing artists in Nigeria. There was no social media hype, no massive government grants, and no grand fanfare—but her boots were on the ground, and with them came a grim determination, grounded in faith, that she could make a difference in a landscape many considered inhospitable.

Today, Sarah Boulos sits as the president of the Council of Global Change, an international organisation that promotes cooperation among governments, institutions, and global leaders to address major worldwide challenges.

Her journey from a seasoned dance coach in a domestic Lagos garage to a global presidency is a living allegory of the Nigerian creative spirit. It is a stark, triumphant reminder to us all: when passion aligns with purpose, even the barren earth yields the most remarkable results.

Her triumph, much like that of Bolanle Austen-Peters and every relentless builder in Nigeria’s creative space, belongs to us all. It is a shared victory—and proof that when Nigerian creativity claims its place on the world stage, the entire nation rises with it.

Smith is the CEO of Edge Company Ltd and a member of the Board of Governors, Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria