Omolabake Fasogbon

Out of the 55 countries in Africa, only 12 have comprehensive creative industry strategies that can withstand international demands.  Yet, countries with the right strategies keep struggling with outdated training programme, poor policy alignment, infrastructure and digital  access, amongst others, which continue to threaten their creative sector’s competitiveness globally.

According to an Analyst at Botho Emerging Markets,  Muinde Mwanzia, who spoke at a virtual roundtable organised by Ananse Africa, with the theme, ‘Canvas to Commerce Roundtable: Redesigning Skills Building for Africa’s Creative Future’, Africa risked losing $200 billion if these structural gaps remain unaddressed.

Presenting findings from Ananse’s continental research at the roundtable held in collaboration with Botho Emerging Markets Group, with support from the MasterCard Foundation, Mwanzia stressed that Africa’s creative economy holds immense potential, worth about $31 billion in value and projected to hit $50 billion by 2030.

He noted that despite the sector’s vast potential and vibrant creativity, over 70 per cent of Africa’s creatives still cannot export beyond their domestic markets.

He linked this further to e-commerce knowledge gap amongst players, noting that while the sector is youth-driven, only 15 per cent are on e-commerce platforms, while women who make up majority of players are disproportionately disadvantaged in mobile Internet access and usage crucial for scalability.

“The reality, as data shows, is that the majority of creatives operate without government support or inclusion in national planning. Many design schools and vocational institutes are still offering piecemeal, theory-based courses that ignore digital business and export skills essential for the global marketplace. Besides, training centres are also clustered in urban areas like Lagos and Johannesburg, leaving a large pool of rural creatives behind.

“Consequently, beyond revenue loss, the continent also risks losing millions of future jobs, particularly for youth and women, who make up the bulk of the workforce”, he warned.

He submitted that in line with the session’s objective, it has become urgent for the industry to move from fragmentation to transformation and shift from mere potential to tangible results that drive economic growth.

The roundtable convened stakeholders from business and academia circles to chart a path toward transforming the continent’s business into a thriving, export-ready industry.

Responding to the gaps, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ananse Center for Design, Samuel Mensah stated that the center, which originally set up to promote e-commerce for  fashion creatives, evolved into a holistic ecosystem which supports  creative process from production to global trade.

“We found that many creatives don’t have right skills, or have right skills but lack right tool. Also lacking is knowledge of international logistics such as processing an order, package for shipment, or managing cash flows. Hence, we evolved from being just an e-commerce platform to becoming a full-fledged training and entrepreneurship hub”, he said.

While proposing actionable steps to drive competitiveness in the industry, Mensah called for intellectual property protection for Africa’s indigenous and cultural asset. He also advocated a regulatory framework for certifying artisans, describing it as a vital step toward integrating them into the formal economy.

On his part, Founder of Tikera Africa, Bayo Omoboriowo called for a robust ecosystem that is end to end, such that people can train, trade, prototype and sell to ensure knowledge transfer is holistic.

Like Mensah proposed, Managing Director of Africa Creative Alliance, Rita Ngenzi and Divisional Head of Services, Bank of Industry, Dr Isa Omagu emphasized the importance of certification throughout the skills development journey and called for strong public–private partnerships to establish creative hubs outside the capital.

As for the Director of Operations, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Dr. Hakeem Onasanya, transiting from creativity to enterprise demands a structured blend of training, mentorship, and funding support for entrepreneurs.

Adding an academic perspective, Lecturer in Creative Economies at King’s College London, Dr. Lauren England underscored the need to bridge African design education with market realities. She stressed the importance of equipping creatives with practical business skills such as cash flow management, tax compliance, and adherence to export regulations.