Burna Boy, Davido, Nollywood: How an Abayomi Mighty 2027 Presidency Could Transform Nigeria
- Nigerian music and film industries are gaining global recognition, yet government remains largely disengaged
- Nigerian creative sector faces underfunding and lack of support despite its economic potential
- Abayomi Mighty’s presidential bid sparks dialogue on prioritising culture for Nigeria’s economic future
Nigeria is winning on the world stage, just not through government policy.
From sold-out stadiums in Europe to chart dominance in the United States, Nigerian music is everywhere. Artists like Burna Boy, Davido, and a new generation of Afrobeats stars have turned Nigerian sound into a global force. Afrobeats is no longer a genre on the margins, it is shaping global pop culture.
Source: Original
At the same time, the Nigerian movie industry has followed the same path. Nollywood has become one of the largest film industries in the world, with Nigerian stories now streaming globally on platforms like Netflix. Nigerian fashion, comedy, and digital creators are also building international audiences without waiting for permission.
Yet despite this global rise, the Nigerian government has largely stood on the sidelines.
While culture is becoming one of Nigeria’s strongest exports, state policy remains stuck in the past. Successive governments continue to think almost exclusively in terms of oil and gas, even as the world moves toward renewable energy and creative economies. The creative sector, which already employs millions of young Nigerians and brings global attention to the country, remains underfunded, poorly structured, and unsupported at scale.
This disconnect is becoming harder this to ignore.
Nigerian artists are doing what government should have done long ago: building soft power, global relevance, and economic opportunity. But without serious policy support, infrastructure, financing, and protection, much of the wealth generated by this cultural boom leaks out of the country.
This is why the recent declaration by Abayomi Mighty is drawing attention beyond traditional political circles. Abayomi Mighty has announced that he is joining the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and will run in the 2027 presidential election. One of his stated top priorities is the creative industry.
To many young Nigerians, this matters. For the first time, a major political figure is openly saying what the culture has already proven: creativity is not entertainment alone, it is economic power. Music, film, fashion, and digital media are not side projects, they are engines of growth, jobs, and global influence.
Countries that understand this are moving fast. South Korea built an entire economic strategy around culture. Nigeria, by contrast, continues to treat its most successful global export as an afterthought.
The question now is whether leadership will finally catch up with reality.
Nigeria is already rising through its artists, filmmakers, and creators. What it lacks is a government willing to organise, protect, and invest in that rise. Abayomi Mighty’s entry into the 2027 race is forcing a new conversation: should Nigeria keep clinging to yesterday’s economy, or finally build policy around the future it is already living?
For a generation powered by creativity, the answer feels obvious.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
