The Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Lai Mohammed recently disclosed Federal Government’s plans to ban Nigerian artistes from producing films and music videos outside the shores of the country. Speaking during his visit to Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) House in Lagos, on Saturday, he said that the federal government “has agreed that henceforth, whatever we consume in Nigeria in terms of music and films, must be made in Nigeria.

“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. 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.

The Minister said efforts are also being made to give the Creative Industry a pioneer status so it can qualify for such incentives as tax holidays and waivers, especially of customs duties on the equipment for film and music production, among others.