By JKNewsMedia
STRUCTURED FINANCING tailored to creative entrepreneurs across film, fashion, music, and digital content has received a major boost with the rollout of a ₦1.5billion fund.
Developed through a strategic partnership involving Woodhall Capital, Polaris Bank, the Lagos State Government, and the United Kingdom (UK) Government, the fund aims to unlock scale, structure, and sustainability across Nigeria’s booming creative sector.
Unveiled at the launch of the Creative Currency Podcast, the platform is designed to double as a policy engagement forum, connecting creatives, financiers, legal experts, and international stakeholders.
Together, they aim to confront persistent industry challenges such as limited access to finance, weak Internet Provider (IP) enforcement, and the lack of scalable infrastructure that stifles business growth and export potential.
Polaris Bank’s Executive Director, Abimbola Ozomah, speaking during a panel session at the British Deputy High Commissioner’s residence in Ikoyi, described the fund as a deliberate shift to formally recognise creative outputs and intellectual property as valuable, bankable assets.
She noted that the initiative acknowledges the sector’s power to generate economic value at scale.
“This fund represents more than capital,” Ozomah said. “It reflects our belief in Nigerian creativity as a global force. We’re not just exporting talent. We’re exporting ownership, structure, and long-term value,” she adds.
Woodhall Capital’s CEO, Mojisola Hunponu-Wusu, echoed the call for a new financial architecture, pledging tailored financial products, advisory services, and investor-matching tools suited for creative MSMEs navigating unconventional business models.
The British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Jonny Baxter, reaffirmed the UK’s long-standing commitment to Nigeria’s creative economy.
He cited the 2024 UK-Nigeria Creative Industries Partnership as a key accelerator of bilateral opportunities in trade, investment, and innovation, calling the new initiative a model for international creative cooperation.
Representing the Lagos State Governor, Honourable Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, outlined state-level policy reforms and access to zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million through the Lagos Creative Fund.
These measures, she said, aim to help creatives scale their businesses, access global markets, and transition into the formal economy.
The Creative Currency Podcast, beyond its media function, will act as a strategic hub for knowledge-sharing, market insights, and policy discussions.
By bringing together a diverse range of voices, the platform will support the development of sustainable solutions, with the long-term goal of raising the global competitiveness of Nigeria’s creative industries.
During panel discussions, speakers emphasised the urgent need for structure and transparency.
Creators were encouraged to maintain financial discipline, assert ownership of their intellectual property, and approach their craft with a business mindset.
Financial institutions present acknowledged that traditional risk models must evolve to account for intangible assets and unconventional revenue flows.
The creative economy, they agreed, is rich in export potential and cultural capital – requiring a financial model that reflects this reality.
The evening concluded with a collective call to build the necessary frameworks behind creative expression.
Stakeholders called for long-term investment, regulatory clarity, and professional support to elevate Nigeria’s creative economy into a globally respected sector.
Polaris Bank says its ongoing support for MSMEs has seen billions in naira disbursed across Nigeria, and also reflecting its strategic commitment to financing businesses that drive job creation, economic growth, and inclusive development.
