Mr Ini Akpabio, the Group Managing Director, NANET Hotels and Suite, has advised the Federal Government to build a Nollywood City to boost entertainment industry in 2017.
Akpabio said in Lagos on Sunday that the gesture would reposition the Nollywood image of the country.
He decried a situation where Nigeria could not boast of one Nollywood village or city, where practitioners could assemble or meet to exhibit and showcase their talents to the world. “The National Theatre is a no go area for Nollywood practitioners as the money to access the facility is on the high side. “It is unfair for a nation like Nigeria not to have a Nollywood city in spite of the great talented practitioners/experts we are blessed with in this country. “Nigerian movies are widely recognised all over the world; therefore, government should provide the basic needs to boost the industry, “he said. According to him, it does not mean that the government will be the one to do everything; the government can go into partnership with other private investors. Akpabio said that some Nigerian movies had won international awards and recognitions, government needed to encourage them to do more. He explained that the only way government could encourage the actors was to provide incentives, create enabling environment and provide necessary infrastructure. Akpabio said that the Nollywood city would accommodate entertainers, actors and actresses, performers, comedians and creativity in general. “It will serve as an avenue for them to exhibit and showcase their talents. “It will also be a platform where their foreign counterparts will meet them to chat the course on the latest trend in entertainment industry, “he said. He expressed confidence that the industry would boost government revenues and create employment opportunity to millions of Nigeria. Akpabio said that countries like U.S, Indian, and other countries that have Bollywood and Hollywood cities were thriving in their entertainment sector. He said that Dubai just recently build their Bollywood city which in no time would be thriving in terms of entertainment. “If Nigeria can follow the same way, it will help to reposition and boost the nation’s entertainment industry and compete favourably with their foreign counterparts, ” Akpabio said.
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