Nigeria, India To Boost Collaboration In Creative Industry

Nigeria and India have committed to Strengthening ties in the creative industry, particularly in film.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said the collaboration between Nigeria and India in the creative industry has begun to yield fruit, with the impending launch of the all-Nigerian-Indian cast movie, entitled “Post Card from India”.

The Minister said this in Abuja on Thursday when he received the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Shri Balasubra Maniam, on a courtesy visit.

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He said; “the Ministry is at the forefront of bringing together Bollywood producers, actors and promoters to interact and exchange ideas with their Nigerian counterparts in Nollywood, as India and Nigeria are the two powerhouses in the creative industry.

“I am glad that the recent collaboration between Nigeria and India in the area of culture, industry, film and music has yielded fruits. I am glad that the recent film, ‘Post Card from India,’ which was shot in India, will be coming out in July this year.”

Mohammed said; “the Nigerian Government has offered land to Indian investors in Abuja and Lagos to build a comprehensive film city in either of the two cities to further deepen the economy of the creative industry.”

The Minister also said that a team of Indian investors last August, inspected the Millenium Tower Complex, which would be an iconic cultural centre in Abuja when completed.

Mohammed pledged the readiness of the ministry to sign some of the outstanding Memoranda of Understanding with India to strengthen and deepen the relationship between the two countries in the creative sector.

He stressed the need for the governments of India and Nigeria to open windows of opportunities for the private sector of both countries to forge new ties beyond government-to-government bilateral relations.

In his remarks, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Balasubra, who traced the bilateral ties between Nigeria and India back to 1958, said the new film, ‘Post Card from India,’ with Nigerian and Indian cast, would showcase the composite cultures between the two countries.

He said the outstanding MoUs on Joint Film Production and Cultural Exchange Programme would further solidify the cultural ties between Nigeria and India.