Given the potential and need to generate gainful employment for the attainment of Uganda’s development aspirations, the National Planning Authority (NPA) is set to host a public forum with a focus on the creative economy.
The Forum scheduled to be hosted on 15th April 2025 at the Kampala Serena, will be hosted under the theme “Creative Industries as Catalysts for Economic Growth: Harnessing Opportunities and Supporting Uganda’s Creative Talent”
The creative industries have the potential to generate revenue, create employment opportunities for the growing youth population, promote and protect cultural identity, and foster innovation. According to UNESCO (2022), the creative industry accounted for 3.1% of the Global GDP and 3.2% of all employment in 2022.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has highlighted creative industries as vital for income generation, exports, and job creation in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, whose youthful population is set to increase by 42% by 2030. Nigeria’s Nollywood sector, for instance, is the country’s second-largest employer.
While speaking to Business Times, Ms. Emily Chelangat, the NPA’s Senior Communication Officer, the Public Forum provides a platform for the NPA to share study findings about the status of the creative industry in Uganda. The Forum will enable NPA to receive feedback from the players in the industry and the general public for consideration in the Culture and Creative Industry Policy formulation process which will eventually lead to ownership of the policy reforms and growth of the industry.
Ms. Chelangat noted that as much as the Authority recognizes other domains within the Creative industry, the Forum will focus on the visual arts, artistic crafts, fashion and design, performing arts, film, music, media art (i.e., TV/Radio), culinary art, and creative writing & publishing. The forum targets creatives from various domains, youth, private sector actors, academia, development partners, civil society organizations, government ministries, departments, agencies, and the general public.
She highlighted that the representatives from the creatives will provide invaluable insights, grounding discussions with real-world industry experiences while shedding light on the challenges and opportunities they face. Youth are a key focus, as the creative industry offers significant opportunities for employment and sustainable career development. Therefore, the forum aims to contribute to nurturing this emerging workforce and empowering young people to play an active role in the sector’s growth.
Government institutions are vital to ensuring policies, regulations, and resources align with the sector’s needs. Their participation is essential to providing institutional support, infrastructure, funding, and legal frameworks necessary for unlocking the full potential of Uganda’s creative industries. Likewise, Development partners and civil society organizations (CSOs) bring expertise, funding, and advocacy to the table, ensuring holistic support for the creative industry. Their involvement will help accelerate the growth and sustainability of Uganda’s creative sector.
“At the Forum, participants from the academia will contribute research-driven insights, innovation, and expertise to elevate discussions to support the development of training programs that enhance skills and capacity within the creative industry” added Ms Chelangat
Compared with other sectors, the creative industries are generally inclusive and forward-looking, favoring youth and women, and offering eco-friendly solutions to development challenges. They also boost related sectors, including tourism and manufacturing. For instance, creative content has proved to drive the manufacturing and sales of electronic devices such as TV sets, tablets, and smartphones.
Creative industries in Africa are poised for rapid growth in the next decades if they are capacitated to grab opportunities. African countries have rich and diverse cultural heritages, a rising middle class, and a youthful population, which are key drivers of demand for creative content across the world.
To achieve the Uganda Vision 2040 targets, the average real GDP growth rate will have to be consistent at about 8.2 percent per annum translating into total GDP of about USD 580.5bn with a projected population of 61.3 million in 2040.
Consequently, during the implementation of the fourth National Development Plan (NDPIV) from Financial year 2025/26 to 2029/30, it is expected that the government will leverage education, health, cultural & creative arts, the media, family, cultural, and religious institutions to mobilize the population to participate in local economic and national development.
This will ensure that resources in wealth creation initiatives such as PDM and EMYOOGA generate higher returns to households.