Category Archives: NEC

Investment banking expert and Chairman, Dunn Loren Merrifield Group, Sonnie Ayere has called for extensive government support to the entertainment industry in Nigeria.

Ayere while speaking at Nigerian Entertainment Conference#NECLive4 during the lead panel session on ‘Restructuring the entertainment industry as ‘last hope’ for Africa’s largest economy’, he opined “while we note the growing government support, much more can be done as an estimated 80% of funding in Nigeria’s entertainment industry still comes from personal funding and from groups within the industry.

The role of government cannot be over emphasized by providing adequate support for a structured environment, aiding the business of entertainment to thrive”.

“The remarkable performance of the entertainment industry which is essentially private sector driven can be further explored through strategic partnerships with the government to boost economic growth”.

Sonnie Ayere also highlighted that opportunities within the Nigerian entertainment industry have not been fully harnessed due to the huge fund requirements for its operations. “With a sustainable structure in place, the nation’s capital market could become a source of funding for the industry in the medium term. This supports the need to improve engagement in the creative industry through strategic funding and provision of intervention funds” he added.

This post first appeared on Vanguard Nigeria

The fourth edition of the annual Nigerian Entertainment Conference held on Wednesday, April 20 and popular actress Funke Akindele, who was one of the speakers of the day, gave a few advices to colleagues and upcoming artistes in her presentation.

Below are some entertainment business lessons from her presentation.

• Be willing to make sacrifices. ‘Jenifa’s Diary’ was produced with cash from an endorsement deal.
• Advertisers will only give a content creator good reception when there are ready-made reference materials (e.g. pilot episodes)
• Do not rely on government for opportunities. Just work harder and look inwards.
• Successful artistes must help upcoming talents to build a better industry ecosystem.
• Stay away from cliques, caucuses or camps. Growth comes when various interests unite.
• Never stop learning or educating yourself. Go to schools and study to be a true professional.
• Think well before signing contracts or agreeing to any deals.
• Build a proper structure for yourself and your brand. Get an office, a good website, social media presence, business name, etc.
• Get sound professional business advice from managers, accountants, lawyers, etc.

This post first appeared on theNETng

Award-winning singer, Timi Dakolo has criticized the idea of waiting for government to invest in the entertainment industry, saying that the industry doesn’t have a structure that can attract investors.

Speaking as one of the panelists who deliberated on ‘Economy of Talents: Using The Entertainment Industry To Rebuild Nigeria’ at the just concluded fourth Nigerian Entertainment Conference {NECLive4}, the ‘Great Nation’ singer said, ‘People are saying government should put money into this, put money into that, but we don’t have that structure. If am an investor, I can’t put my money into nothing and say it will yield money.’

Speaking further, he added, ‘So I will say that if you know that you are talented, get to know the business side of how to make money out of your talent. It’s not about singing and putting it on CDs. Know the nitty-gritty. Know what makes music music, what makes comedy comedy, what makes a punchline in comedy, then you can monetize it from there.

‘I don’t think talent hides that much. If you have it and you show it long enough, be consistent. Even in this industry, people have told me that Timi with this your ‘Oyinbo’ songs you are singing you are not going to do very well. I knew why I said I have to go to school for this thing, because the only thing I knew about music before now, was to go to choir practice on Wednesday and Sunday. Learn my tenor part, shout it on Sunday.

‘But when I wanted to take this thing seriously, I started to learn more about it. The knowledge you have about your talent cannot be taken away from you.  So don’t let us sit down and be waiting for someone to give us money. Waiting for somebody to give us grant. Know you trade, know your talent. Don’t wait for someone to sign you. Enhance your talent up to the point that you can’t be ignored.’

This post first appeared on theNETng

The Kokomaster was lead speaker at the fourth Nigerian Entertainment Conference, which took place on Wednesday April 20, at Landmark Event Centre in Oniru, Lagos.
His presentation during the final session – ‘Intervention Strategies: An Open Conversation and Case Studies’ – pointed out some of the problems in the Nigerian music and movie industry; while highlighting possible solutions.

The session also had MD of Multichoice Nigeria – John Ugbe as speaker, with talent manager Emem O. Ema and CEO Gabosky Films – Gabriel Okoye and more as panelists.

Download D’banj’s presentation Here

Indeed, the Nigerian entertainment industry has exploded in recent times. The hyper activity on the scene has, no doubt, upstaged the days of yore when local TV and radio stations feed the public with foreign contents, especially from the United States.

You recall days when the craze for foreign songs, which most of us barely understood the lyrics or even make any sense out of them, were in vogue?

Those days when Indian and Chinese movies, even without subtitles, kept many on the edge of their seats? Days are gone when you went to night clubs and danced to American beats from dusk till dawn without complaining; the era when Shaba Ranks, Patra, Buster Rhymes, Chakademus & Pliers, 2Pac, Shagy and the likes ruled the country’s music industry.

Then, it was like a taboo to play a Nigerian song or video on air; Nigerian movies were ‘no, no.’ In fact, a radio station was even so audacious that time, as to decree that no Nigerian music, except Fela, would grace its air.

Today, things have changed; Nigerian songs are making waves all over the world, with the artistes winning international awards for their works. Nollywood, on the other hand, has become a phenomenon across the globe, to the extent that American superstars have seen reasons to collaborate with our people.

Today, comedy has become a major part of events, with hundreds of young Nigerians earning a living from just making people laugh. Unlike in the past, the youths are proud to introduce themselves in public as professional dancers today.

Don’t forget the cinematographers, sound engineers, producers, directors, make-up artistes, set designers and others on the fringes, making a living from the industry; that’s how far the entertainment industry has gone. But critically studied, the industry is yet to go full circle in terms of achieving its full potential.

Largely, lack of proper structure and funding has remained a stumbling block to the sector that has the capacity of impacting the economy positively.

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Vanessa Obioha reports Nigerian artistes may not be about outward show only, and that some of them should be reckoned with in their brainpower

Alot of in-betweens happened at the recently held Nigeria Entertainment Conference (NEC). Sparks flew in every direction, voices were raised in anger, concerns expressed in desperate ripples and spat resolved, shocking revelations made, but above all, knowledge was shared. That is what the conference was all about-to share knowledge that will benefit the stakeholders and practitioners, as well as, budding artistes in the entertainment industry.

Expectedly, a teeming crowd converged at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Oceanview Marquee for the conference. As early as 8:00am, guests were already at the venue for accreditation.  Although, the right venue was not appropriately conveyed, guests still found their way to the marquee which was aesthetically transformed to suit the event. On the white walls of the marquee were portraits of the panelists and speakers. The main stage was illuminated by the white backdrop of the conference logo. Two big screens were positioned on both sides of the stage to enable participants view the drama on stage. Lush white seats were provided for those who couldn’t make it to the main hall to view the event, given that it was an informal ambience, a refreshing novelty away from the strict and formal setting of a conference. Perhaps, it was a deliberate set-up by the organisers since the conference revolves around the entertainment industry. The camaraderie was infectious as friends hugged themselves, back slapped and issued shouts of surprise. For the budding artistes and entertainers, it was the perfect environment to hobnob with favourite celebrities and take selfies.

However, the Oceanview Marquee was a wrong choice to host the event as it was not spacious enough to accommodate all. Perhaps, the organisers should have stuck to its previous venue, the Convention Centre which boasts of more space.  Eager participants had to struggle for space with exhibitors who came to showcase their products and services. For those who could not find a seat in the hall, big screens were situated at the back of the hall, displaying all the action on the main stage. But not all were comfortable watching the show on a screen when the action was next door.  A large number of guests preferred to stand at the back of the hall for that eye-witness experience.
The gathering was also a premium opportunity for people to network and at the same time, learn more about products and services that were on exhibition. For instance, many encountered Enplug Africa, a social media technology company that started in Nigeria last October, for the first time. The company displayed a public computing platform which is a unique digital signage software that enables brands to engage their audience through streaming of live feeds from various social media platforms. It pushes content real-time and gives the brand a visible presence in the social media.

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