There are few people whose fingerprints can be found across as many chapters of Nigeria’s creative story as Obi Asika. Long before Afrobeats became a global phenomenon and the creative economy emerged as one of the country’s biggest opportunities, he was helping to build the platforms, businesses and talent pipelines that would shape it.
Born in Lagos on October 3, 1968, Asika hails from Onitsha, Anambra State. He is the only son of the late Anthony Ukpabi Asika, who served as administrator of East Central State during the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon. He attended Ekulu Primary School in Enugu before moving to the United Kingdom at the age of nine, where he studied at Ashdown House and later Eton College, before earning an LLB (Hons) from the University of Warwick in 1990. Growing up between Nigeria and the UK fostered a deep appreciation for Nigerian identity, culture and storytelling that continues to shape his outlook.
Over the past three decades, Asika has focused on creating opportunities for creative talent while pushing against the challenges that have long constrained the industry, from piracy and inadequate infrastructure to policy and funding gaps. As founder of Storm 360, he helped nurture early stars including Jazzman Olofin, Darey Art Alade, Naeto C, Ikechukwu and Sasha P, while his work with Dragon Africa and OutSource Media brought major television franchises such as Big Brother Nigeria and The Apprentice Africa to audiences across the continent.
Appointed by Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council for Arts and Culture in January 2024, Asika has brought that same entrepreneurial drive into public service. In this conversation with Yinka Olatunbosun, he reflects on leadership, culture, fashion and the future of Nigeria’s creative economy.
Photo credit: Kunle Ogunfuyi
Seeing Afrobeats stars on the FIFA World Cup Stage signals a major shift in global music. As a key contributor to the Nigerian music space right from Storm Records years till now, how does it make you feel?
Seeing Afrobeats on the FIFA World Cup stage fills me with enormous pride and quiet joy. For those of us who have given decades to nurturing this industry, it feels like a deeply personal validation. I recall being gently questioned by friends and family over the years for the time I invested in artists and in the music — wondering why I gave so much attention to that world. I never doubted for a moment that it was the right path, and watching where we are today makes me very glad. I trusted that instinct and always listened to the talent. It is a real privilege to have lived this journey, contributed in whatever way I could, and still be here, still part of it. Many of my Storm alumni remain fully active in the industry, and I stay in constant conversation with most of them.
Do you think we are currently optimising the value of Nigerian music creators or are we still in the “validation” phase of the industry?
We have long moved past the validation phase. We are now institutionalising our music industry to make it truly sustainable and immune to trends or cycles. Our music is one of the most influential genres on the planet — it has grown by over 5,000% in global streams over the past five years, and today three of the top ten streaming artists in the world are Nigerian. That is extraordinary. Yes, our artists fill arenas and stadia worldwide, and we have produced the biggest touring artists from the continent, and we are permanently live on all charts, clubs and bars everywhere.
However, we still have key investments to make as a nation to fully capture the benefits of this growth at home. The music is global, but the infrastructure for monetisation, collection and domestic revenue generation has too many gaps. According to the most recent data, in 2027 alone, Nigeria risks losing approximately USD 220 million to avoidable structural weaknesses in the system. Closing those gaps and strengthening domestic monetisation is our immediate priority. The value gap is large and fixable, and the clear growth opportunity is at home and in West Africa. Global markets are well regulated and our talent get their earnings but we also need to sort collections locally and globally by upping registrations and ensuring that all Nigerian talent have options.
Since your appointment in 2024, what are some of the revolutionary ideas you have infused into the creative sector?
First, I must say what an immense privilege it is to serve Nigeria in this role. I am deeply grateful to President Bola Tinubu and to our visionary Minister, Hannatu Musa Musawa, for the confidence they have placed in me. There can be no higher honour than being asked to serve your nation and your culture, and I do not take it lightly for a single day.
I would not be so bold as to call anything I have done revolutionary — that is for others to assess. What I can say is that we have worked hard to reposition the institution and make NCAC more visible, more active and more relevant to the industry we serve.
We have published two landmark reports: the first Nigeria Creator Economy report in partnership with Communique, and the first Nigeria Music Intelligence Report in partnership with Regent Stone Capital. Later this year, we will publish sector playbooks across the creative economy, designed as practical guides for investors, operators, and players in the Nigerian ecosystem. We have also developed a strategy for unified digital platforms in partnership with the private sector to help activate and scale Nigerian talent more effectively. NCAC is working through its staff and management to become a true cultural intelligence Organisation which delivers credible reports and insights that banks and dfi’s and govt policy and the sector can rely on for growth and expansion.
The most important work now, though, is implementation — closing the policy lag and delivering tangible, felt benefits for creatives at scale. For a true assessment of what has changed, you would really need to speak with those we work with across the sector. What I do hope is that people now know we are present, we are engaged, and we are genuinely willing to partner for positive outcomes.
Which sector of the creative economy do you think is currently the most “under-valued” or under-capitalised in Nigeria, and why?
There are several sectors that feel underreported and perhaps do not receive the same attention in public conversation. Creatives in Literature, Theatre and the Performing Arts have legitimate cause to feel this way, as do visual arts, living heritage and our antiquities tradition. These are sectors that tend to be more intellectual in nature and require deeper market reframing and investor education to move forward — and that is work NCAC is actively doing through our sector playbooks.
In Nigeria, Afrobeats and Nollywood understandably dominate the cultural conversation, and events like Art X Lagos and the Ake Book Festival do brilliant work shining a light on the art and literature scenes. But we need many more of these platforms, and critically, we need them distributed nationally — not concentrated only in Lagos and Abuja. There are several other segments that show huge promise, and I would consider to be like challenger brands, and in this category lies Nigerian gastronomy, Nigerian hair and beauty, fashion, and lifestyle. These are growing massively and not waiting for anyone, but part of our work is to try and give balanced attention to the entire ecosystem.
Are we effectively using data to map the true economic contribution of our creative industries to the Nigerian GDP?
Yes, and the data landscape is genuinely improving. Our Minister, working with the support of Big Win Philanthropy, has conducted the most extensive mapping of the sector to date. I was fully involved in that process, and it provides a significant baseline for development finance institutions, government, investors, financial institutions, academics and sector players alike.
NCAC has also published two first-of-their-kind reports — the Nigeria Creator Economy Report with Communique and the Nigeria Music Industry Report, Basslines to Billions, with Regent Stone Capital. There is now a meaningful body of evidence, and we are also engaging the National Bureau of Statistics on arriving at an agreed, official position on the sector’s true contribution to GDP. That work will strengthen the sector considerably in the short to medium term.
What is the biggest misconception that policymakers have about the creative economy?
The biggest misconception is that the creative economy is a vocation rather than a serious occupation — something people do because they love it, rather than a major economic driver deserving of structured policy and public investment.
This is the imagination and attention economy, and it has an enormous global footprint. Nigeria is already a world leader in it. What we need is for policymakers across every tier to prioritise the sector with serious funding. This industry can employ millions of Nigerians, deliver skills across every age group and deliver significant revenue for the country. All we need to do is invest in ourselves — because our content is already more than enough for the world.
Your fashion taste lately reflects your appreciation for indigenous fabrics. Why is it important for you to lead by example in this regard?
I represent the nation’s lead cultural agency, and that comes with a responsibility to embody what I am advocating for. I also carry a personal identity that runs deep — I am a titled man, having joined the ancient Agbalanze Ozo Society of Onitsha in April 1994, and my title name is Ojinnaka. The Ozo cap is something I wear with great pride.
I have always worn clothes, shoes and accessories made by Nigerians — long before I came into this appointment. Today, for instance, I was gifted a beautiful pair of snakeskin loafers from Kano. These are the small joys of living in full connection with our culture. I think we are incredibly blessed to be able to wear and live our culture — not simply observe it as something static behind glass in a museum. This is not to say I don’t wear western clothes at all, but these days I listen to my management who believe I should always be in trad as we call it lol.
Many think that artists should get government funding and subsidies to grow the sector. Do you agree?
It is a valid and important debate, and I do believe there is a strong case for it. In all the funding interventions that have been designed and are now coming to life, grant elements are present — and rightly so. The iDICE facility, anchored by the African Development Bank and situated at the Bank of Industry, and the Creative Economy Development Fund both reflect a growing consensus on this. We are also working with the Minister to bring the National Endowment Fund for the Arts to life, and that will be one of the core mandates we seek to fulfil. We must find effective ways to stimulate arts education, support artists, and embed artistic practice meaningfully in both academia and society at large.
How do you stay agile in an industry that is constantly evolving?
It is fundamentally a state of mind. I am naturally curious and always seeking out new knowledge — and I think that is the most important thing anyone in this space can cultivate. Technology and its immersive capabilities are changing everything, often faster than institutions can keep pace with. The possibilities are expanding every day, which is why we speak of this as the imagination economy. In many ways, your imagination is your only real constraint in this age — and that is an extraordinary thing.
How can the creative industry be more effectively leveraged as a tool for improving our international relations and image abroad?
Nigerian creative industries have been doing this heavy lifting for well over a decade. Our culture is present everywhere, daily — in music, film, literature, art, comedy, cuisine, design, and so much more. The challenge now is to be intentional and coordinated about it.
We have effectively built Nigeria Everywhere as a cultural reality — but we need the budget and the partnerships to sustain and amplify it. We are actively seeking strategic alignment and partnerships with the Nigerian advertising sector, because our stories, our talent and our content are already going viral every day, and that sector has both the resources and the skills to help us build on it strategically.
This World Cup is a perfect example. The Super Eagles may not be present, but between our large and brilliantly talented diaspora representing other nations and our Afrobeats superstars commanding the biggest stages, Nigeria is very much live and present. All we need to do is lean into what we are already doing naturally — and fund the platforms we have built — so that all of us, as a nation, can benefit from the goodwill our soft power earns for us every single day.
Your time invested in sports development, entrepreneurship and as an advisory committee member at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art in Washington, DC, says a lot about your personal drive. What motivates you and keeps you humble and focused amidst so many professional commitments?
What motivates me is the sheer scale of what is still possible. I genuinely believe we are only just beginning, and the thing I feel most acutely is the preciousness of time. This nation-building work is a long journey, and the creative sector we are building is one that I believe can reimagine Nigeria — not only in how the world sees us, but in how we see ourselves. Nigerian sports are much like our country; blessed with natural talent but still seeking the best frameworks to fully exploit and develop sustainable domestic leagues across all our sports. As we seek to build sustainable domestic touring, it’s the same with sports at tertiary, professional, and even amateur levels. Yes, we have talent, but we need the right plans and the right funding and to be agile enough to change course and fix it.
My deepest hope is that we can mobilise the full capacity of Nigeria’s talent, because the ability and potential are there, and frankly,, the world needs a strong, unified, purposeful Nigeria operating at full capacity now more than ever. That is what gets me up every morning — and it is what I am committed to giving everything I have in service of, alongside my team and all the extraordinary partners we are privileged to work with.
