Office of the Deputy Speaker Collaborates with CSED, Nollywood Stakeholders

Office of the Deputy Speaker Collaborates with CSED, Nollywood Stakeholders and Partners to Empower Young People in the South East

On Friday, November 22, 2024, a delegation from the Center for Strategic Enterprise Development (CSED) met with Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the National House of Representatives and Convener of the Peace In South East Project (PISE-P), at his guest house in Asokoro, Abuja. The CSED delegation included Mrs. Nancy Nnaji, Board Chair of CSED and Executive Producer of Moneyline with Nancy on AIT; ID Freeman, Country Director & CEO of CSED; Amb. Dr. Queen Blessing Ebigieson, National President of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) Nigeria; Amb. Paul Obazele, Actor & Filmmaker; Chioma Okorie, COO of CSED; and Emmanuel Ezeoka, Managing Partner at CiSu Advisory.

The purpose of the meeting was to formalize a collaboration with the Deputy Speaker’s office in implementing the South East New Generation of Nollywood Producers Prize, a key component of the Entertainment, Cultural, and Tourism Program under PISE-P.

The meeting began with a project presentation by ID Freeman, CEO of CSED, who outlined how the initiative would empower young people across the five South Eastern states. The program is expected to generate over $120 million USD annually for the region, creating more than 5,000 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs, thus providing opportunities for youth to showcase their talents and drive regional development.

Following the presentation, Mrs. Nancy Nnaji, Board Chair of CSED, formally presented the collaboration proposal to Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, stating, "Honorable Sir, our proposal aligns with your vision for peace in the South East. We have mobilized the necessary capacity to support this initiative, which will drive development and peace in the region."

Amb. Dr. Queen Blessing Ebigieson, National President of AMP, expressed the strategic role of the region, saying, "The South East played a strategic role in the birth of Nollywood as we know it today. Our association, as a key stakeholder in the industry’s entrepreneurship management, collaborates with investors to raise production funds, employ directors, actors, and other professionals, and contribute significantly to the industry’s growth. We are proud to bring our expertise to this initiative."

Amb. Paul Obazele echoed their sentiment, emphasizing the importance of the program in harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit of South East youth. "We are committed to leveraging the region’s natural entrepreneurial drive to revolutionize the next wave of film and media, just as some entrepreneurs from the South East led the charge in the first wave with CDs and DVDs," he said. "The least we can do is provide a platform for these young people to unlock their full potential. If we fail to do this, future generations will judge us harshly for not using the resources available to us."

In response, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu expressed his full support for the initiative, confirming that the South East New Generation of Nollywood Producers Prize is now officially part of the PISE-P Sports & Entertainment pillar. "The program is approved for implementation," he stated. "Given the quality of the partners assembled, I am confident it will meet its objectives. My only concern has always been the quality of the implementation, but I trust the team that I am seeing right now to deliver."

The Deputy Speaker also announced plans to set up a committee from his office to work closely with CSED to finalize the implementation documents. He emphasized that once the pilot phase in the South East is completed and the template is perfected, the program will be expanded to include all six geopolitical regions of Nigeria, ensuring that young people across the country benefit.

Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu concluded the meeting by reiterating his readiness to move forward with the program as soon as the final implementation plan is presented.

Also in attendance were key officials from the Deputy Speaker’s office, including the project lead; Mr. Ogbonna Ukuku, SA Investment and Private Sector Affairs, Ms. Joy Akut, SA on Youth & Women Affairs and Mr. Sam Hart, mni, SA Public Affairs.