FG: No more shooting of movies, music videos outside Nigeria

The federal government says it has taken steps to get
the Nigeria Broadcasting Code (NBC) to discourage the production of
Nigerian movies and music outside the country.
Lai Mohammed, minister of information, made this known on Saturday
in Lagos when he paid a visit to the headquarters of the Copyright
Society of Nigeria (COSON).

The minister decried the situation whereby films, reality TV
shows and music were made outside Nigeria for consumption by
Nigerians.

He said the situation had hampered empowerment of practitioners
in the industry, the development of the sector and the nation’s
economy in general.

“This government has agreed that henceforth, whatever we consume
in Nigeria in terms of music and films, must be made in Nigeria,”
he said.

“We cannot continue to go to South Africa or any other country
to produce our films and then send them back to be consumed in
Nigeria.

“The Broadcasting Code and the Advertising Code are very clear
on this. For you to classify a product as a Nigerian product, it
must have a certain percentage of Nigerian content.”

The minister noted that what was happening today was that
Nigerian artists were often flown out of this country to go and
make their recordings.

“When they get there, they will patronise the economy of that
country and then bring the products back to Nigeria for us to
consume.

“It is like somebody going to China or Japan to make a product
that looks like palm wine and bring it back home to label it
Nigerian palm wine.”

He stressed that “as long as we are not able to implement our
own code to ensure local production of Nigerian music and movies,
our young talents will not get jobs”.

“It is Nigerians that pay for the consumption of these products
and therefore they must be allowed and encouraged to participate in
their production.

“I am going to meet with the relevant stakeholders over this, to
see that whatever amendment that is needed to be made to our
Broadcasting Code in this regard, is done urgently,” he said.

To encourage local production of films and music, the minister
said that Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission had put forward a
proposal to classify the creative industry and grant it a pioneer
status.

He said that with the pioneer status, the creative industry
would be entitled to certain incentives and tax holiday.

The minister said that there would also be waivers for shipment
of imported music and films production equipment.

He stressed that the federal government was committed to making
the creative industry viable, dynamic and sustainable.

Mohammed said that as one of the key areas for diversification
of the economy, the creative industry would be private
sector-driven, while government would create the enabling
environment for its growth.

The federal government says it has taken steps to get
the Nigeria Broadcasting Code (NBC) to discourage the production of
Nigerian movies and music outside the country.
Lai Mohammed, minister of information, made this known on Saturday
in Lagos when he paid a visit to the headquarters of the Copyright
Society of Nigeria (COSON).

The minister decried the situation whereby films, reality TV
shows and music were made outside Nigeria for consumption by
Nigerians.

He said the situation had hampered empowerment of practitioners
in the industry, the development of the sector and the nation’s
economy in general.

“This government has agreed that henceforth, whatever we consume
in Nigeria in terms of music and films, must be made in Nigeria,”
he said.

“We cannot continue to go to South Africa or any other country
to produce our films and then send them back to be consumed in
Nigeria.

“The Broadcasting Code and the Advertising Code are very clear
on this. For you to classify a product as a Nigerian product, it
must have a certain percentage of Nigerian content.”

The minister noted that what was happening today was that
Nigerian artists were often flown out of this country to go and
make their recordings.

“When they get there, they will patronise the economy of that
country and then bring the products back to Nigeria for us to
consume.

“It is like somebody going to China or Japan to make a product
that looks like palm wine and bring it back home to label it
Nigerian palm wine.”

He stressed that “as long as we are not able to implement our
own code to ensure local production of Nigerian music and movies,
our young talents will not get jobs”.

“It is Nigerians that pay for the consumption of these products
and therefore they must be allowed and encouraged to participate in
their production.

“I am going to meet with the relevant stakeholders over this, to
see that whatever amendment that is needed to be made to our
Broadcasting Code in this regard, is done urgently,” he said.

To encourage local production of films and music, the minister
said that Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission had put forward a
proposal to classify the creative industry and grant it a pioneer
status.

He said that with the pioneer status, the creative industry
would be entitled to certain incentives and tax holiday.

The minister said that there would also be waivers for shipment
of imported music and films production equipment.

He stressed that the federal government was committed to making
the creative industry viable, dynamic and sustainable.

Mohammed said that as one of the key areas for diversification
of the economy, the creative industry would be private
sector-driven, while government would create the enabling
environment for its growth.