The UK Nigeria Tech Hub has launched a new Creative Fund aimed at addressing critical technical capacity gaps across Nigeria’s film, fashion, and music industries.
The initiative, announced in a statement by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, represents the first phase of a grants programme designed to strengthen Nigeria’s creative value chain through improved access to digital tools, talent, and infrastructure.
According to the UK government, applications are now open to creative companies, production studios, fashion enterprises, and music labels leading projects with clearly defined technical needs.
The fund aligns with the UK-Nigeria Economic Transformation and Investment Partnership (ETIP) Creatives Working Group, launched in March 2025, and builds on commitments made during the state visit of Bola Tinubu to the United Kingdom in March 2026.
Designed to support high-potential projects, the programme aims to enable creatives to produce, scale, and complete their work locally by providing access to advanced technologies and skilled talent.
The Creative Fund is financed under the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme and implemented by Tech4Dev.
Director of the UK Nigeria Tech Hub, Oyinkansola Akintola Bello, described the initiative as a practical step toward unlocking the sector’s full potential.
“The Creative Fund is a first-phase intervention addressing gaps in skills, infrastructure, and access to advanced tools, enabling Nigerian creatives to produce high-quality work locally,” she said.
The programme will support projects across key creative sectors, with a focus on scalability, job creation, and innovation. It will also facilitate access to digital tools such as asset management systems, content delivery platforms, digital rights management solutions, and artificial intelligence-driven production technologies.
Country Manager for Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa at Tech4Dev, Abraham Akpan, noted that the initiative aims to expand inclusion within the creative ecosystem.
“The creative industries are central to the digital economy, combining technology, culture, and entrepreneurship,” he said, adding that the fund will help build sustainable local capacity while improving access to opportunities for underserved groups.
The UK Nigeria Tech Hub, part of the UK’s Digital Access Programme, supports inclusive and responsible digital transformation in Nigeria, while Tech4Dev focuses on advancing digital skills and bridging the digital divide across Africa.
The launch underscores growing collaboration between Nigeria and the UK to position the creative sector as a key driver of economic growth and job creation.
