According to a new report, Nigeria’s creator economy could grow into a multi-billion dollar sector by the end of the decade. The Nigeria Creator Economy Report 2025 (NCER) has been developed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, the National Council for Arts and Culture, TM Global, and Communique, a creator led media and intelligence company. This report is one of the most comprehensive analyses yet of how creators, platforms and policy are reshaping Africa’s largest cultural hub.
NCER highlights the way Nigeria’s creative industries reshape the country’s cultural and economic landscape. The music industry alone paid N58 billion ($38.67million) in royalties to artists by 2024, while the fashion industry grew to a $4.7billion industry.
Spotify distributed N58.67 billion ($38.67million) to Nigerian musicians through more than 30 billion streams of Afrobeats globally, while YouTube AdSense compensated local creators with $10 million. Instagram is the most popular platform for earning money for creators. It accounts for 45% of all reported earnings. TikTok, on the other hand, has increased access with more than 6.3 million Nigerians creators.
But income distribution is still highly unequal: 56% earn less than $100 per month while only 3% earn more than $5,000. The Nigerian creators have become more visible on the international stage, with Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records deal worth $200 million, Funke Akindele’s N4.7 billion ($3.13million) box office success, and Mark Angel Comedy’s YouTube subscribers milestones.
Obi Yours is the Director-General of NCAC. “The report captures a generation’s energy whose content shapes perception and creates wealth,” Obi says. It provides policymakers, citizens, and investors with the tools they need to engage with the ecosystem, not just as a passing fad, but as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s economic future.
Hanatu Mua Musawa, FMACTCE Minister, highlighted the importance data-driven policies, pointing out the D30 Data Platform, launchedas an open-source platform for cultural and creative insight. “Without data it is impossible to measure progress, map challenges, or scale opportunities.”
Looking forward, the report outlines the four key factors that will determine Nigeria’s creator-based economy in the next five years. These are: capital and professionalism, policy infrastructures, talent globalisation and tech and AI integration. The report predicts that investor interest will increase as creators adopt a startup-style structure, diversify revenue sources, and seek transparency.
Initiatives like the Creative Economy Development Fund or the Creative Leap Acceleration Programme (CLAP) (CLAP) may unlock capital access. Meanwhile, Afrobeats and Nollywood are expected to continue to set global trends. Artificial intelligence will disrupt content creation, workflows, and intellectual properties, presenting both opportunities and risks to stakeholders.
The report recommends that creators scale their businesses, adopt AI tools, and form alliances to reduce costs while increasing reach. It recommends that policymakers formalise the sector into national strategy, build creative infrastructure, and establish rules for intellectual properties and AI.
According to David I. Adeleke founder and CEO at Communique, “Our research reveals that Nigeria is at a crossroads between cultural dominance and economic renewal.” “Nigeria has captured the attention of the world.”
The report values the creative sector at 31.2 million dollars, but projects its potential to be in the billions. How well talent, policy and capital align in the next five years will determine whether this potential is realized.
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