Infrastructure, Not Hustle, is the Blueprint for Africa’s Creative Future -experts insist at NECLive 2025

The 2025 edition of the Nigerian Entertainment Conference (NECLive 2025) ignited a crucial debate on the future of Africa’s creative economy, with a high-powered panel unanimously declaring that talent alone is no longer enough to sustain global growth.

The session, titled “Building Creative Infrastructure to Power Africa’s Economic Growth,” brought together industry titans Steve Babaeko, Colette Otusheso, Molehi Molekoa, and Shaibu Husseini, moderated by Seyitan Atigarin, to dissect the foundational gaps stifling the continent’s creative potential.

The central theme, echoing Steve Babaeko’s earlier lead address, was the urgent need to shift from a culture of “hustle” to one of structured infrastructure. This infrastructure, the panellists argued, extends far beyond physical buildings to encompass digital platforms, human capital development, and a coherent narrative.

Advertising titan Steve Babaeko, Founder & CEO of X3M Ideas, defined a functional creative ecosystem as resting on three pillars: brick and mortar, digital infrastructure, and human capital development. He stressed that while building studios and arenas is the “easy part,” the real foresight lies in owning digital real estate. “We need to start to build that digital infrastructure today,” Babaeko asserted, comparing it to the foresight of early land buyers in prime locations like Banana Island.

He warned that without these systems, foreign entities will continue to “take all of your creative juices, packaging it, and just making the meal out of it instead of you benefiting.”

Molehi Molekoa, a reputation manager, introduced a powerful precondition for infrastructure: the narrative. She argued that before any investor commits capital or the government changes policy, they “really buy into a narrative.” She then challenged African creatives to establish a coherent, positive, and collective African story, rather than allowing external platforms to control the data and perception of the continent. “We need to start making sure that we own our platform,” she stated, emphasising that investment follows a compelling, unified story of African potential.

Colette Otusheso, CEO of Accelerate Media Group, spoke from the perspective of a content incubator, highlighting the critical need for training pipelines and safe spaces. Drawing on her experience building Accelerate Media Group, she noted that the biggest challenge is “not having the infrastructure for them to learn properly in the creative sector.” Otusheso detailed Accelerate’s success in bridging this gap through initiatives like the Accelerate Filmmaker Project, which provides training, mentorship from industry veterans like Kemi Adetiba and Kunle Afolayan, and a distribution outlet via their streaming platform, Accelerate Plus. She concluded with a sharp call for government to engage the “right people in the room” who have “walked the walk” to forge effective public-private partnerships.

The discussion also veered into the crucial areas of policy and the well-being of the creative workforce. Shaibu Husseini, Executive Director/CEO of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), emphasised the government’s role in providing a supportive legal and regulatory framework, particularly concerning intellectual property (IP) protection. He highlighted the need for robust systems to ensure creators reap the financial benefits of their work.

Furthermore, the panel addressed the often-overlooked issue of mental health and lifestyle management within the high-pressure creative industry. Steve Babaeko noted that young creatives need support to navigate the “winter months” of the industry cycle, while Molekoa stressed the need for positive role models and a focus on long-term legacy over instant gratification, cautioning against substance abuse and unhealthy lifestyles that undermine sustainability.

As the panel concluded, the consensus was clear: Africa’s creative economy is a real economy with billions of dollars at stake. The next phase of growth demands a strategic, collective investment in infrastructure—physical, digital, and human—guided by a unified African narrative and supported by effective policy. The time for “hustle” is over; the era of building has begun.