|
The Minister of Information and
Communications, Prof Dora Akunyili has
described investment opportunities in
Nigeria's Nollywood as limitless and
called on the European Economic
Commission to invest in the industry.
"Our Nollywood wants to move to another
level. EU is in a position to mobilise
support. We are ready to partner with EU."
The Minister welcomed the collaboration
and partnership between the Nigerian
Film Corporation and Babylon
International Film Corporation funded
by the European Commission. The Minister
identified the Film Industry as a virgin
ground for potential investors,
assuring of government's commitment to
creating enabling environment for the
film industry in Nigeria to collaborate
and compete with the European film
Industry.
Prof Akunyili expressed delight that the
large delegation of film producers from
Europe have found Nigerian people warm,
friendly and talented and are genuinely
interested in advancing Nigerian Film
Industry.
The Director-General Nigeria Film
Corporation, Mr Afolabi Adesanya
explained that the emerging partnership
between the corporation and the Babylon
Film Corporation is informed by the
desire to expose the Nigeria Film
Industry to the international market
as potential foreign exchange earner.
Mr Afolabi disclosed that the emerging
partnership will cover important areas
of training and manpower development,
technical assistance, cultural exchange
and marketing. The leader of the
delegation, Garry Jones said the
interest of the European Film Industry
in the Nigeria Nollywood is "simply huge
and multi-dimensional". He described the
Film Industry as one full of talents,
surrounded with huge culture and large
market. He dismissed the misconception
about business environment in Nigeria
adding "that Nigerians are quite "nice,
friendly and the culture is very
attractive for commercial film
production. We are here to invest in
developing the media industry"
|
